


The Paths We Walk

by Caro_n



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death, F/M, Friendship/Love, Light Angst, M/M, Magic, Original Character(s), Romantic Friendship, Sexual Tension, Violence, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-02-27 21:04:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 127,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2706707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caro_n/pseuds/Caro_n
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Even as shadows cover the land, I see a light in the dark." </p><p>The yokai and the ophanin. As long as anyone could remember, these two demonic races were at odds. However, one yokai and one ophan bonded during the divergence and had a child who could forever alter the state of the world. Years have passed since that day and the child, named Naruto, now lives together with an innocent ophan among the humans. Since his ordinary days are filled with struggles and indifference, he has no idea of the strange power locked inside him and the deadly pact behind its origin. But when he befriends an icy avenger and a sarcastic sage, his journey toward self-discovery begins...and he soon finds himself wrapped up in a conflict he never asked for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Curse or a Blessing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! It's me Caro_n. This was originally posted long ago on FF.net (and still is a work in progress) but I decided to branch out a little bit. While work and the Bar is demanding even more even my schedule, I figured "Eh, what the hell" and decided to drop it here. Just to warn everyone (as I did on the other site), this is an AU so everything has been revamped and changed around to fit the weird universe I have. Oh yes, and there will be yaoi in here (blinks...hehe) or shounenai...or whatever you call it due to that wriggling feeling waltzing along my spine to write one. First time doing something like this so bear with me okay?
> 
> Disclaimer: (because people will feel persuaded to sue if I don't add this) The characters and whatnot of the Naruto universe belong to Masashi Kishimoto (hooray for him!). I only created the characters Riaru, Jin, and any unfamiliar characters mentioned in this chapter. This goes for my own adaptations of yokai and ophan demons, as well as changes with Naruto's mother to fit the storyline. She goes by two names in this story (one which is the real canon name).
> 
> Rating: "T" for language and violence…for now.

" _The world is changed... I feel it in the water... I feel it in the earth... I smell it in the air... Much that once was, is lost... For none now live, who remember it…"—_ Galadriel, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

" _Every story, new or ancient…bagatelle or work of art…all are tales of human failing…all are tales of love at heart,"—_ Amneris: Every Story is a Love Story, Aida

_Every story has a beginning…_

_Every work of art has a first line…_

_Every journey has a starting point…_

_How did it all begin?_

_Some say it began with fire…an enormous fire that swept over the world and threatened to consume it, leaving behind scorched trees but a tiny hint of civilization._

_Others say that the higher beings had always been there, always above the rest of the world…watching…waiting…selecting their next chess pieces._

_So many stories passed from word of the mouth down each generation make it nearly impossible to believe every single tale is the very same. Perhaps if one were to piece a little bit of the thousand together…perhaps that would spin the thread of truth.  
_

_Angels and demons…what if they went by some other name? What if there were no angels, but instead those demons who resembled angels the most? What if not all demons were thought to be evil and bordering on malevolence?_

_The yokai and the ophanin are such examples. While both are of demonic descent, the ophanin are closer towards those ethereal beings called angels and humanity. The others, the yokai, resemble the darkness of old and the sensuality of death.  
_

_Did the story begin with fire? Or perhaps was it a game for the fates? No. It began with a doomed love…a scourge…and a deadly pact…_

* * *

Blood.

The dark red liquid splashed against the ground, warm and sticky. Its sharp scent drifted through the city and tickled his nostrils. He smirked and inhaled, nostrils dilating a bit. The smell of carnage was intoxicating.

Screams.

People screamed long and loud into the starless night; music to his ears. It was like a symphony of sounds clashing together with the drop of cymbals, a cacophony of shouts, curses, prayers, and wails.

_And it's only just begun._

"Jin."

A voice slowly whispered his name from behind, a hiss of a snake. Jin stirred from his little reverie and turned his sharp yellow eyes on the owner.

"What is it now? I thought your bloodlust wasn't sated yet Aniki."

"It's not," replied the other man casually. He silently slipped over to stand beside Jin. "I just have to tell you something."

Jin lifted an eyebrow. "And that is…?" _Don't tell me my son is down there. He's too young to get involved._

"We have a problem." His older brother gave the ghost of an exasperated sigh. "The ophanin—"

"Is that all?"

"Shut up and let me finish. As you know, the ophanin have decided they've had enough of our little 'demonstration' on the people of Fire Country and they're not willing to let us go quietly."

"What's your point?"

Another sigh. "The ophanin head isn't even there. Something about his 'wife' being pregnant and him not doing a thing until the labor of the birth is over."

A colorful curse escaped Jin's lips. He was known for bearing a strong grudge against the head of the ophanin but this feeling bordered on hatred. _People just don't respect the danger of demons like they used to. Maybe I should've sent out some oni…nah, too messy. The world's colorful enough as it is._

"Otouto?"

Jin straightened and a strange smile formed on his face. "He'll speak to me. Take me to him Orochimaru."

_Kushina…I guess it's inevitable…old loves never die…_

* * *

_It can't have gone wrong. Please don't let it have gone wrong. Kami-sama, she'll die at this rate._

Minato closed his eyes, wincing as an unearthly scream cut through the caverns like a piercing knife in the dark. _Oh please just end this already!_ He hadn't wanted to see the whole gruesome event; firmly finding women the stronger sex in _that_ department. _If they're fine with witnessing the pain and shrieking and labor then more power to them._

Another scream slashed through the air and the head of the ophanin closed his eyes and groaned. It was taking too long. What if…what if the baby didn't make it?

 _Kami-sama, what if_ she _doesn't make it?_

Was this what normal fathers went through?

Then again, since when were demons considered normal?

"Oi Minato!" He could see his cousin Hatori coming towards him. "Man, you're a mess. How do you feel?"

Minato laughed weakly. "I feel like shit. What do you think?"

"Actually, you don't want to know what I think." Hatori scratched the back of his head. "Look I know you've got enough on your plate what with the birthing and Farah screaming to the fathoms below, but we've got a problem in Fire Country."

"Kami-sama, that place is _always_ in something. Why should this time be any different?"

Hatori scowled a bit. "Well excuse me, but as we are the demons in charge of this infernal country, we should do our best to protect it from the enemy yokai right?"

Minato lifted his blond head warily at the mention of the other demonic race. "What do they want?"

"What _don't_ they want?" Hatori snorted. "Apparently they took her running off with you worse than we believed so they're using it as an excuse to satiate their hunger for slaughter and blood on the people of Fire Country. The high orders of Fire Country as well as the other ophanin are standing by you for orders right now, but they can only take so much. Human casualties…animals…our personal conflict with the yokai is bad enough without bringing the rest of the world into it."

"So you're saying this is _my_ fault?" Minato demanded. His golden hair seemed to crackle and, with the amount of power he had stored within his body, it very well could have. "Because if you're here to do what I _think_ you're here to do then I'll kill you Hatori."

His cousin's eyes widened. "Minato, I'm merely here to inform you of what's going on out there in Fire Country, namely the city of Konoha. I'm not here to reprimand you on your choice of a partner. If I wanted to do that, I'm kinda nine months late ne?"

Minato shook his head as yet another wail echoed down the hall. He winced, hoping that his wife was being treated fairly. Even though the ophanin doctors were among the lesser prejudiced of Fire Country, he wasn't taking any chances. She didn't need to undergo any more pain than she had to.

"Oh and one more thing."

"What now?"

"There's someone here to see you."

 _I can't deal with visitors at this moment._ "Didn't you say—?"

"He _did_ actually," a smooth voice spoke from the large doorway. Though it had a sinful velvet quality that simply oozed of power and sensuality, it also bore an icy ring that reminded one of frost so cold it burned. "But I decided I didn't care and let myself in anyway."

Both Minato and Hatori eyed the figure standing in the doorway with wary eyes. The young man, a bit older than Minato, smirked wickedly. Saffron yellow eyes, dusted with smooth black eyelashes, flashed in the dim hallway and long dark hair draped around the man's alabaster face as if presenting a stage. A true yokai demon: beautiful and sensual to behold but pure poison within.

"Minato." The man bowed in mock acknowledgment of the other's high position in the ophanin.

"Jin." The name was forced out of a strangled throat but Minato had managed to keep everything in check. It wouldn't do any good to start yelling at the man.

Hatori shifted a nervous glance at his cousin and the yokai. "Anou…I'll be going now." Chuckling nervously, he scooted out of the hallway. _Must escape the wrath of two angry demons!_

No sooner had the sound of Hatori's footsteps died out; Jin was looming in front of Minato. No matter that the golden-haired ophan was an inch taller; the energy giving off from his body was more than enough to produce a pretty impressive display.

"Where is my kitsune?"

Minato glared back. _She's not something you can just calmly call a creature. She has a name!_ "Why do you want to know?" His voice was like the slice of a deadly katana through a jugular vein. "You and the rest of your race abandoned her and you're killing off innocent people in Fire Country just to prove a point. Why should I tell you?"

The yokai resisted the urge to plow the blond man through the wall. "Your elders must really be feeding you some good stories because you're still swallowing them Minato- _kun._ " Venom practically dripped from his mouth. "My brother says you got her pregnant. Something tells me the elders weren't too happy about that."

"Bastard."

"That I am." Jin clenched his fists. "But _you're_ the one that implanted your infernal seed within a yokai."

"That's because you already used up yours," Minato spat. "You already have a child with someone of your own demonic background Jin. Unlike you, I don't believe that women are toys merely to screw around with."

Jin gritted his sharp teeth. "It was just a miscalculation. Kushina and I _loved_ each other."

Minato shook his head. "What would YOU know about love? You have a black hole in your chest! And just so you know, _she_ loved me _willingly_ unlike you."

Another scream cut through the air and a flurry of silvery wings intercepted the two demons before they could leap at each other's throats. The white and gray mass folded back to reveal a very panicked ophan. "Minato-sama, you have to come quickly! We could be losing her!"

"What?"

Minato practically flew down the corridor, barely registering where he was going. He could feel Jin's presence hot on his heels but he didn't care. Not right now.

_BANG!_

The door to the room flew open and one could already catch the acrid aroma of the birth in the air. There was so much blood…so much sweat…flesh torn…

"Farah!" Minato dashed to his wife's side. She was panting heavily, back arched in pain. Her brilliant blue eyes were wide and stared up at the ceiling in obvious torture. Steaming tears were running like silver rivers down her cheeks, mingling with her sweat. Occasionally, between contractions, her lids would droop shut only to shoot open again as she was assaulted by another fresh bout of pain. "Are you okay?"

"Mina…to…?" A thin hand reached out and slipped into his. Her face and red hair were as wet as if they had been dunked into a pond. She gulped.

He nodded, squeezing her hand and ignoring the ophanin doctors that surrounded them. They were chanting under their breaths, doing their best to stave off the bleeding of her torn inner flesh. "Ssshh my love, I'm here."

"The baby…" Her words came out in gasps. "The baby…"

A quick glance with one of the doctors was all he needed. "The baby's fine. Made it through safe and sound." He leaned over and kissed her damp forehead. "It's all right. Breathe."

"Boy…or girl?"

"Boy," a doctor confirmed as a different wail filled the room; the tiny refreshing sound of a newborn infant. A small smile lifted the corners of his exhausted mouth as he placed the baby into its mother's weak arms. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Minato nodded at him and he could feel his wife just faintly do the same before a soft gasp emitted from her throat. "What is it?"

Another gasp. "J-Jin." _Kami-sama..._

 _Damn it, that bastard is still here?_ Minato tore his eyes away from the doctor to the yokai standing in the doorway. "Leave. Now," he snapped coldly.

Had he been any angrier, the ophan would have failed to see the range of emotions playing across Jin's face. However, Minato _did_ see them all: anger, shock, pain, and anguish. _What the hell is wrong with him? Yokai never show their emotions so freely._

"Why?"

The question escaped from Jinn's smooth lips. His yellow eyes blazed as they locked onto Farah's cerulean blue ones. "WHY!"

All ophan doctors had rushed upon him but the demon released some of his energy, knocking them backwards into the opposite walls. _CRACK!_ The only one left standing (and conscious) was a shaking young cleric in his early teens, not an ophan at all.

 _Get back Iruka…get back…_ He told himself quietly.

"ANSWER ME KITSUNE!"

"D-don't call me that…" she whispered weakly. "That's n-not my n-name."

Jin glared at her. "It's the name of your demon host Kushina! It's what you are!"

Kushina groaned and tore herself away from those eyes. "It's not…me." She shook her head as her whole body began to convulse again. Minato noticed and swore inwardly. _She can't handle stress in this condition! Not so soon after the baby!_

"Damn!" Forgetting his fear of the yokai, Iruka set out to help the female demon, hands glowing with healing aura. He had to save her!

"Do you realize what you've done?" Jin demanded angrily and there was lingering pain behind his words. He seemed not to have noticed the torment the woman was undergoing. "A yokai and an ophan hybrid…nothing good will come of it! You have the blood of a _kitsune_ in you!" His voice was becoming hoarse and losing its sensual tone. "I was never good enough was I? Not for you, not for Aniki, and not for anyone!"

Minato bit his lip. _I can't help but feel a little sorry for him._ "Jin…" _I didn't know._

"Why did you choose _him_ Kushina? Over me? _Why?_ "

The baby began to wail again. It was too loud. It was too much.

"L-love…" Kushina whispered even while she shuddered and moaned. "Something I…think…y-you'll…never…under…stand…" She coughed violently, blood trickling down her ashen chin.

"Farah, don't talk!" Minato urged. His wife was losing strength by the minute.

"That child is a STAIN on this world!" Jin roared and for a minute, he seemed more like a dragon than anything; a dragon set on devouring a certain baby.

Kushina bolted upright despite the pain. "How…DARE you! This is my son! This…baby…you view…h-him…a-as a curse…I think he's…a…b-blessing…" She held the child close to her heart, a strange light in her crystalline blue eyes. "Y-you…I…won't…let you t-take…him from me…you bastard." She doubled over, spasms wracking throughout her exhausted body.

"NO!" Finding Jin the lesser of two evils at the moment, Minato summoned up his strength and shoved Jin out the door. Iruka locked it quickly behind him.

The yokai struggled to speak as another cough registered a dribble of blood from her rosy lips. The infant in her arms began to wail louder and she tightened her hold on him. Her weak fingers brushed aside the thin fuzz of hair; blond like his father's. A beautiful baby conceived through a whirlpool of confusing emotions and betrayal of her own kind.

 _Whirlpool…that'll be your name…_ "Na…ruto…" She weakly kissed the infant on its tiny forehead. _My little Naruto…my little kitsune…_

"Farah, are you-?"

"M-Minato…" Kushina slowly smiled at her husband and a single tear trailed down her face. "C-call me...by my r-real n-name...it's okay...now."

The blond ophan nodded shakily. "As you wish _Kushina._ "

"Thank you." Her breath was coming out weaker than ever but she felt entirely at peace as she held the baby close to her breast. Her eyes were glazed with tears. "Our…protect…our kit…N-Naruto…"

He nodded, the horrifying feeling intensifying. "I will." _Kami-sama, I can't lose her! Please! Please!_

A small smile lifted her mouth. Oh death was so merciful! She could drown in its embrace!

"I…l-love…you."

A sea of black rushed before her clear blue eyes and the iron curtains came crashing down. _Be strong…be safe my kit…_ Her heart emitted two weak beats…and no more.

"Kushina! KUSHINA!"

Iruka watched on in distress and sympathy as little Naruto continued to wail. He'd done all he could.

_But it wasn't enough._

* * *

" _Kushina my kitsune…who is this person that you've been seeing?"_

_A small laugh. "I'm not in my fox form, so there's no need to call me that name. And that's none of your business Neanderthal."_

" _I'll make it my business."_

" _My, my. Being a little possessive aren't we Jin?"_

" _We Neanderthals like to have our fun."_

_She shook her head and laughed again, radiant red hair fluttering around her like a sunburst. "I'm sure you do. It's nothing. Nothing that should concern you."_

"FUCK!" Jin slammed his fists into a nearby wall. Orochimaru watched in silence, barely flinching at the sound of his younger brother's hands connecting painfully with the stone.

"Are you done yet?"

Jin panted and fixed a heated glare on the older yokai. Those stubborn saffron irises reflected his hatred and inner pain. Sweat beaded on his brow, illuminating his impossibly pale skin.

"You know she's dead right?" Orochimaru continued flatly, his own speech ending in a hiss.

"Shut up."

"And just what good would that do Otouto? It won't bring Kushina back now will it?"

"Just…shut up Aniki."

Orochimaru impatiently clacked his tongue against his sharp fangs. His brother's current behavior annoyed him immensely. _For once, I don't blame the ophanin for anything. Kushina brought this on herself and us._ A smirk appeared on his chiseled features. _But I still think this could work in our favor._

"Mama?"

Jin blinked. _Eh? That's not my brother's voice._ "Aniki, what did you—?"

Orochimaru unfurled his wings, streaming purple and black, and revealed a small white bundle in his arms. Green hair, the lush color of a forest, spilled out from the top of the bundle.

"Aniki…" Jin's eyes dilated. "Is… _that_...a baby?"

"Indeed it is." Orochimaru chuckled quietly as he shifted the bundle in his arms. The white cloth slipped downward, revealing a childish face with a small pert nose and frightened sapphire eyes. He trailed one pale finger down the forehead and tapped the child's nose. She squirmed away from him. "It's not _their_ child if that's what you're thinking Otouto. No, this is a girl that I snatched up from one of the ophanin I slaughtered down in Fire Country." His head undulated slightly. "Bad parents. They shouldn't have let their daughter wander off. She can actually walk you know."

Jin fixed his eyes on the little ophan before meeting his brother's face. "What are you going to do with it?" he asked.

"That's for _you_ to decide." Orochimaru silently walked closer and passed the girl into his younger brother's arms. "Might I suggest you use this to your advantage?"

"Mama?"

Jin stared down at the girl, his mind flooding with possibilities. A smirk curled his lip and he nodded. _Of course…_

* * *

"Minato-san," Iruka whispered from his spot beside Farah...no Kushina's body. He was holding the baby, Naruto, in his arms. The child had stopped wailing and was now cuddled up against the cleric's chest. "Are you all right?"

Minato shakily got to his feet and wiped the tears away from his eyes with a trembling hand. "Yes Iruka …I'm okay." He shook his head, the mop of golden hair swishing. "Just…give me a minute." He lifted his eyes, trying not to look at the body of his dead wife. "I'm sorry you had to see that. T-the other ophanin…"

"I believe they've been informed of what's happened Minato-san." Iruka glanced down at the baby and held him out to the head of the ophanin. "Your son?"

_My son._

Minato reached over and took the child in his hands. Naruto had his tanned skin and shining blond hair, of that he could see. Despite the strange whisker marks etched on the sides of his face, three whisker scars just like Kushina had on her pale skin, he was a beautiful infant. Naruto yawned and opened his eyes. For a minute Minato felt his blood run cold.

_Kushina's eyes._

_BOOM!_

The foundations of the building shook under the explosion outside. Minato straightened up. "Iruka come with me. I have to settle this and…if anything happens…" He swallowed. "I…I would like you to take care of Naruto for me when you're of age."

"O-of course."

Minato closed his eyes and lifted his head. Snow-white wings with golden tips unfurled from his shoulder blades and spread up until they brushed the low ceiling. He grabbed Iruka's hand, Naruto tucked in the alcove of his other arm.

In a swirling mass of white and gold, all three vanished from the room and re-appeared out in the wrecked city that was Konoha. Fires danced across the buildings and blood drenched the already reddened earth. The air was scorching.

It was hell on Earth.

With a quick nod of his head, Minato silently ordered Iruka to take cover behind one of the charred buildings. The teen cleric nodded and vanished into the growing darkness, flames leaping into the gathering twilight.

People were dying…his people…innocent people…

 _How could I have been so stupid? That our relationship…would have come to this?_ He shook his head. _I couldn't have known. Kushina and I would never have done anything if we had known this would happen._

"MINATO!"

The ophan turned his gray-blue eyes upon the owner of the voice. Jin stood across from him, ignoring the chaos around him as yokai, ophanin, and humans clashed. He was holding a baby girl in his arms; an ophan.

"Let her go Jin!"

Jin smirked and wings unfurled from his back; the most glorious purple-black of a night sky. "Why should I?" He chuckled and lifted one of his hands. The nails grew razor-sharp. "She's not _your_ baby is she?"

"LET HER GO!" The demonic aura surrounding the ophan's body crackled. "Why do you have her anyway? The children of ophanin mean nothing to the yokai!"

"No? I actually think she's the perfect bargaining chip," replied Jin smoothly. He flicked one sharp nail over the little girl's forehead. She squealed. "Hear me out Minato Namikaze! I could kill this little ophan in a second…much the same I could do with your son! He's the result of all of our disastrous problems ne?" The wind howled. "He's the result of Kushina's betrayal of the yokai along with your doomed relationship all rolled into one neat little package."

Minato protectively cradled Naruto in one hand. _Bastard._ "You're not laying a hand on my son!"

"I don't have to because the damage has already been done!" Jin laughed maliciously. "You may hold the spawn of an ophan and a yokai, but the yokai genes inside will dominate the ophanin! Your son is more devil than angel! He has the essence of the kitsune inside him, the strongest yokai imaginable! You can thank your wife for that!"

Iruka felt his insides freeze. That couldn't be right. Kushina was a yokai true, but a _kitsune?_

_Kami, we're in such deep shit right now._

"How would you feel if that demon were unleashed? Your son will soon surrender to the animal instincts of the fox." Jin smirked at his shocked enemy. "The amount of people the kitsune would kill and the malicious games it would play before the end result. This boy's potential is stronger than you, stronger than even me and my older brother! That would ruin your reputation as a worthy leader but it'd also bring about Armageddon as well. Is that what you want Minato? Is that what _Kushina_ would have wanted?"

Minato narrowed his eyes but a flicker of fear passed through his eyes. "What do you want bastard?"

Jin tilted his head to one side, possibly enjoying the way his words were riling up the powerful ophan. "Nothing really…except for you to consider a proposal I have in mind. And the proposal is that there's only one way to contain a powerful essence of a yokai like the kitsune and that's with a special seal of an ophanin. The seal will lock away the powerful aura but it will keep your son alive. You know about it obviously since the very first head of the ophanin used it a long time ago against our own yokai leader." Minato nodded to show he understood. "But of course…every extremely powerful spell comes with a price." His eyes gleamed. "You know what the price to keep a seal that powerful is."

Iruka gasped and Minato glowered. "And just what makes you think I'll agree to _that?_ "

The other demon shrugged. "It's either you conjure the seal upon the yokai genes inside your son or the whole world ends up destroyed when it's unleashed. And it doesn't matter what time that will be. He could be twenty; he could be two. And this little female—" Jin slid a sharp nail along the side of the young ophan's face, "—will be the first one to go." He smiled. "Should you perform this spell, there would be no witnesses as to what happened to ensure the end of our bloody feud except myself. And I will give my word that the yokai will never lay hand on any human nor ophan unless the seal on your son is broken. Because then…we would have to be involved."

Minato's eyes narrowed. "You hate me and my son. Why would you want to spare him?"

"Oh don't think of this as pity you fool," Jin hissed in reply. "Of course I want to kill your son. But…Kushina wouldn't want that and…" He paused, flinching at the memory of the beautiful yokai that had never been his. She had been stolen from him and that wretched baby in his enemy's arms served as a painful reminder. "I'd rather you weren't there to witness it."

"Damn you to hell," Minato muttered through gritted teeth. His eyes locked onto the little girl's frightened sapphire ones. She was so young, so innocent. _She doesn't deserve to die. And…_ he looked at Naruto. _Neither does my son._

It was a harsh choice. Trust Jin to do this to him. Minato closed his eyes in concentration. He racked the inner corners of his mind but nothing seemed to come up that would counter Jin's suggestion.

_What would Kushina want?_

He tightened his hold on the baby in his arms. He knew what she would want. _Naruto can't go through this…I swear my son will live through this._ He stared down into those brilliant cerulean eyes. They shone like the sunlight dancing on calm blue waves. They spoke of promise and light and hope. If he had to choose between the two of them to live…Minato raised his face to the eerily beautiful demon across from him. It would be Naruto.

Licking his dry lips, he extended a hand out to the yokai. "All right Jin. I'll perform the seal…as long as you add one more thing to the bargain." His eyes narrowed. "The girl…give me the girl."

Jin raised one perfect dark eyebrow. "And just what does she mean to you?"

"She's an ophan and an innocent at that," Minato replied firmly. He shifted Naruto slightly. "Since you obviously did something with her family, the girl will stay with Naruto as proof that you keep your promise not to harm anyone unless the seal breaks."

 _Hmmm…not bad. I could live with that._ The yokai nodded once, wings fluttering in the breeze. "You have yourself a deal Minato- _kun_." He smirked and tossed the tiny girl into the air. "Whoops."

 _That asshole!_ Minato growled and managed to swoop forward and enfold the shaking ophan in his brilliant white wings before her skull could be smashed against the blood-soaked ground. With a small sigh, he turned towards the darkness where he knew Iruka was still standing. "Iruka…"

"Who are you calling out to?" Jin asked calmly even as a shriek tore through the eerie silence. The flames crackled and leaped higher.

Minato faced him again, praying that Iruka would not come out of hiding. Luckily, the cleric remained where he was. **_"You remember your promise Iruka?"_** He transmitted the message telepathically. ** _Look after my son for me. He's all that'll be left…of Farah...Kushina…and myself. And look after this little girl too. Raise them ** _…the best you can._**  
_**

Behind the crumbling buildings, the young cleric felt cold dread seep into his stomach. Yet he nodded to himself. _I will do as you ask Minato_ _-san._

Minato gently set the young ophan on the ground before placing Naruto beside her. Naruto smiled sleepily before turning over and yawning into his blanket. The ophan, however, stared back into Minato's eyes with apprehension.

"P-papa?"

"What's your name kiddo?" he asked her softly. She stared back at him and he wondered fleetingly if she could understand him. Then, to his amazement, she shook her head.

"P-papa…" she whispered fretfully, soft chubby little hands reaching for him. She wanted to be held.

 _She thinks I'm her father._ A low chuckle rumbled through his body as he reached out to stroke the girl's green hair away from her forehead. Through the fingers flowed healing warmth, warmth that brought light and freshness to the acrid-smelling air. The girl cooed and settled down into the blankets. _Let her be the sister…that Naruto might have had._

"No matter what anyone tells you, what happened here was real. You're real and the love that binds us all together is real. 'Real'…Riaru."

"Can we hurry this up?" Jin asked lazily. He wrapped himself in his velvet wings. _I'm getting hungry for human flesh and blood._

Minato shot him a fierce glare that would have burned all of Konoha to the ground in one swoop. He turned to Naruto and gently passed a hand over the baby's soft downy blond hair. Despite the darkened sky and dim lighting, the hair seemed to capture sunlight and hold it in.

 _I won't be able to see you grow up,_ he thought sadly. "My beautiful boy…neither of us…your mother and I…will be able to see you grow up to be the strong man I know you will be. Naruto, your mother died for you only to be brought into a world of fire and pain, but I will make sure you will live to see the sun." He picked up the baby and held him close. Tears began to fall from his eyes onto the tan skin and blond hair. "That little girl…Riaru…she'll be with you and Iruka…he promised he will be with you too. Be strong…have courage…and no matter what anyone says, you are _no_ curse. You are a blessing." Placing Naruto down, he stood up and turned away. "Naruto Uzumaki…my son…I love you."

Two demons faced each other against the fiery backdrop of screams, death, and fire. One demon raised his hands to form the seal, words flowing from his mouth. Strange words that no human could ever hope to decipher. The other demon raised one hand as a signal to instruct his followers to cease attacking when the spell was complete.

_Naruto…_

* * *

"Uchiha-san, you must get your family to safety!"

"Do that if you wish! But I'm staying here to protect the city from these monsters!"

Fire raged and smoke rose along with the dying cries and animalistic snarls that filled the air. In the forest that surrounded the outskirts of the city, a family of magical warriors stood their ground as the sky seemed to swirl like a dark miasma. A serious little boy with intense eyes, clothing slightly charred and a few cuts on his face, stared up at the churning sky. His mother held a pale baby of similar features close to her chest. The baby's eyes, blacker than a raven's wing, were curious.

"Mikoto, take Itachi and Sasuke away! Go quickly!" A pause. "I'll see you when this is over."

"You better." Her hand caught her husband's. "Promise me you'll be careful."

The baby stared up into the sky, dark lashes fluttering with fear. Only an infant…and yet he knew something was terribly wrong.

* * *

Elsewhere, a family of magical descent struggled to fend off the many yokai in Konoha; blue, red, and white aura flaring everywhere. Corpses littered the ground like matchsticks.

A woman fell to the ground, her body mutilated and damaged beyond repair. Blood seeped slowly down from her pale pink lips as she chanted one last spell in hopes that it would save her daughter.

"Cassie…" she whispered weakly.

The girl, barely a year old, watched her mother fall with fear and tears in her dark blue eyes. Potent magical aura surrounded her body and seeped into her veins. The air smelled of blood and sweat.

"Mommy…" Cassie said tearfully. She choked and her tiny arms clung to her mother's dead body as the battle raged on around her. "M-mommy!"

The magical energy flared once and struck a few nearby yokai. The little girl continued to sob aloud as it rose above her in wafting clouds.

"Mommy!"

* * *

And then the world went silent. Every living creature seemed to freeze and the cries of both demon and human died out. The heavens ceased to churn and reflect the chaos down below. Only the flames and smoke continued to billow and crackle around the dying city.

As one, the yokai lifted up their massive wings and flew away into the distance. Their master had called them. The bargain was sealed.

However, in the middle of the former ferocity, the only living witness to the horrific turn of events knelt down beside the body of a once proud ophan. Two infants, demon blood running through their veins, lay beside the spread-eagled man. Trembling hands picked them up, brown eyes staring down at the person who was more angel than demon. A seal was tattooed across his little son's chest; the reminder of the price of the bargain.

"Minato-san!" Iruka cried out in anguish. "MINATO-SAN!"

And as tears ran down his face, the fresh sobs of the two babies held against his chest broke like the waves of an ocean crashing against the shore. Riaru and Naruto: two demon offspring crying for a world that had just left them terribly alone.

_**To Be Continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Who knew that chapter was actually pretty short compared to my normal standard. Oh well, review if you want. You could even tell me this was terrible; I won't mind. I know I still have a lot of work to do in this world. . Next chapter should be soon!
> 
> Explanations (just in case or unless you're bored):
> 
> Yokai: these are a class of demons in Japanese folklore that are considered more powerful than humans and are usually invulnerable to normal human attack. They range from evil oni to kitsune to hanyo (half-demons) to dead spirits that wander the earth. They are also referred to as "mononoke."
> 
> In this fic, the yokai are similar to their real folklore counterparts except they have both an animal host and a human form. The animal host is often more dominant to the human form as yokai despise mortals and prefer not to resemble them too much. Their wing colors are typically dark and they are of extremely pale complexion. They usually have one physical trait that distinguishes them from normal humans and acts as a sign of what animal host they take the shape of (Ex: Orochimaru's long snake tongue though his eyes could be another indicator). The yokai encourage such emotions as power and lust, but they are often unable to understand human emotions such as love. They have no last names because last names are a sign of binding to another person, which is seen as a weakness.
> 
> Ophan (plural: ophanin)this is actually one of the celestial classes of angels along with Cherubim and Seraphim that guard over the throne of God. Also known as "thrones" they are the third hierarchy of angels, known to be covered in eyes and have six wings. They are also being of tremendous power and movement, creating channels of energy to maintain connections to all of the realms and establish divine justice. They are also known for being immensely humble and without ambition despite their greatness.
> 
> In this fic, only demons control the world so there are no angels. However, the ophanin are similar to their angelic background in terms of divine judgment and amount of energy. Unlike yokai, they do not have an animal host and retain an appearance more related to the humans they swear to protect. Their complexion ranges from golden to pale (though not as pale as the yokai) and their wings range from shades of white with tints of other colors. Note: at a certain age, ophanin are able to hide their wings completely so they can appear completely human.
> 
> Both demonic races are known for their mysterious power and/or ethereal beauty. However, the yokai are prone to being more sensuous and effiminent-looking (with some exceptions) while the ophanin are slightly more realistic in appearance.
> 
> Farah (pronounced "Fair-ah") Uzumaki: is the false name Naruto's mother took while living with the ophanin as Minato's wife (to avoid suspicion that she was a yokai). The name Farah has two meanings. It means "joy" and "beautiful." The latter is more fitting for the tragic yokai actually. The last name Uzumaki means "spiral."
> 
> Kushina: the revealed name of Naruto's mother, this means "sheaf." Like my adaptation of her, she also had red hair and a very protective, determined demeanor. In this AU, Kushina will be her REAL name.
> 
> Minato Namikaze: the name of the Fourth Hokage has finally been revealed in the Naruto universe so I have now changed his name from "Arashi" to go along with Kishimoto's canon material. The name "Minato" means "harbor" such as someone in a sort of trade or specific talent. "Namikaze" means "wind and waves" (so...fitting).
> 
> Jin: believe it or not, this name means "tenderness." The name was based on the idea of devil Jin from Tekken.
> 
> Riaru (pronounced "Ree-aru"): based on my friend Inuko (and explained earlier by Minato), this means "real."
> 
> Aniki: older brother
> 
> Otouto: little brother
> 
> Kami/Kami-sama: God or gods in this story's case


	2. Riaru and Naruto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I had a small talk with my friend and thanks to her, I've decided to go ahead and post the already-finished second chapter after all. Kudos to you AznTigress (hehe). Um...so here's the second installment and yes I will be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for details. I love putting details in (makes me wonder why I always criticize John Steinbeck and his overload). Anyways...the characters may seem slightly different from what they appear to be in the anime/manga and I say: "It's an AU." I will, however, try not to take away from the actual attitudes completely (it'd hurt the characters if I did). Oh yes, and there will be a lot of OCs in here but like I said before, the Naruto characters are much more important and will NOT be overshadowed by them.
> 
> I think I've talked too much. (checks) Yup. Shutting up now.
> 
> Disclaimer: Again, the characters of the Naruto world belong to Masashi Kishimoto and to add to that, the different classes of the academy come from a mix of different games ranging from Ragnarok Online to Dungeons and Dragons to Fire Emblem. All unfamiliar peoples belong to me along with the new ideas relating to said classes (this includes the demons).

" _Sometimes people carry to such perfection the mask they have, assumed that in due course they actually become the person they seem,"_ —W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and the Sixpence

" _You believe a man can change his destiny?"—_ Katsumoto  
" _I think a man does what he can until his destiny is revealed,"_ —Algren, The Last Samurai

**17 years later…**

"NARUTO! WAKE UP!"

The volume of the voice was enough to wake the dead from their sleep down in the earth, but Naruto Uzumaki acted as if the voice had not fazed him at all. If anything, he just rolled over in bed.

"BAKA! I _KNOW_ YOU'RE NOT ASLEEP! YOU'RE JUST ROLLING AROUND AREN'T YOU?"

Naruto grunted into his pillow. _Damn it, that girl's hearing is_ waaaaaay _too acute to be normal._

_BANG!_

The door to his room burst open and his nineteen-year-old housemate flew into the room in an irritated flurry of snowy white wings. She hunched them behind her as she glared down at the "sleeping" blond. "Naruto Uzumaki! Up _NOW!_ "

"Too early. Don't feel like it," he mumbled. He knew he was asking for a healthy dose of the demon's temper but he really didn't care right now. He was used to getting what he wanted in this house and what he wanted was to _sleep._

"I don't care if you don't feel like it. You're getting up _now!_ "

"Gotten desperate to see me jump out of bed have we?"

The very pretty ophan stared. "Eh?" _He's not thinking…he is!_ She could see the hints of a smirk on his face. A dull flush rose up and dusted her cheeks. "Don't flatter yourself Naruto. You don't have much to show anyway. So up and at it!"

"You're not my mother Riaru." Naruto grinned up at her and yawned openly to emphasize his point. Then he turned over and closed his eyes.

Riaru gritted her teeth, feeling the effects of a massive headache in her temple. _I should be used to this by now. I've grown up with him in this house for nearly seventeen years._ Though she loved Naruto and cared about him very much, the younger boy still had the ability to make her question her sanity. Granted, some of his antics were cute but others—Riaru shot a sapphire glare at the exaggerated-snoring Naruto—weren't.

_You'd think he'd start acting his age._

With a small sigh, she reached into the folds of her wings and withdrew a large circular bucket. The liquid inside sloshed around. _Well the idiot was asking for it._

_SPLASH!_

Naruto's crystalline irises shot open and he jerked up in bed, sputtering and choking. Water ran in rivulets down his tanned face and shoulders, his blond hair plastered to his head like a bowl. Riaru watched all of this with amusement in her eyes.

Blue eyes, lighter and more brilliant than her own serene hue, locked onto hers in a glare. " _Ri-_ aru!What the hell?"

_That was so stupid. "Throw the water on the sleeping teenager" trick._

"You were asking for it Naruto- _kun_ ," she replied teasingly, affection blended into the tone. Sometimes she liked annoying the boy almost as much she knew he enjoyed annoying her. "Now get up like a good boy."

The blond shot her another glare and flung the covers off, heaving himself out of bed. _Damn._ She'd thrown the water in a way that ensured the waist of his pajama bottoms would be soaked as well. _Stupid ophan._

"Is this what you wanted to see?"

Riaru wrinkled her nose and then laughed delightedly. She reached out with one of her feathery wings and brushed it lightly against his bare muscled chest. "Wow, looks you have something to show after all. Not enough apparently."

"RIARU!"

She giggled again, eyes scrunched up in pretend innocence and pink lips forming a small pout. "What? I'm not an angel Naruto. Don't expect me to act like one all the time." Moving her wing away, she added, "I had to get you up because Jiriaya-sama said he was going to teach you some new technique before the rest of the warriors at the academy or did you forget?"

"GAH!"

In less than five minutes, the blond was in the bathroom connected to his room (shower turned on full blast), freshly washed and in clean clothes, down the stairs, and out the door. All the while he was muttering, "Shit! Shit! Shit!" under his breath.

Riaru blinked rapidly. _Well that was quick._ Her deep blue irises traveled down the side of Naruto's messed up bed. They landed on a certain glittering sword. _Oh he forgot again._ Shaking her head, she picked up the sword and flew off through Naruto's open window to hand him his sword. _I think Iruka-otousan and breakfast will have to wait._

* * *

Konoha Academy was one of the few buildings in Konoha City that had not needed to undergo major renovations due to the last intense battle between the yokai and the ophanin seventeen years ago. It stood in all of its simplicity and yet somehow retained the glorious aura of the students that inhabited its walls and those that passed their final examinations long before. 

The academy was where most of the activity of Konoha took place, considering it was where the young would start their career path. However, the academy's focus had changed since the attack and more emphasis was placed on the specialized classes. Would-be students were allowed to transfer to the academy at the age of ten (in addition to normal schooling) and undergo formal and practical tests for the specialized class they wished to pursue. Two years of a trial period, performing certain tasks that harnessed skills solely for the desired path, and one final examination would then determine the next level of the student. The students would then undergo rigorous teaching and training in the field over the next four years before the next promotional upgrade and another two years before the final examination. Afterward, the student would fully graduate the academy and be free to study further in their profession on their own.

Of course, the final test was left for the student to decide. There were those that were perfectly content where they were and dropped out once they reached the level they desired. There were others that had high ambitions to make it to the top and went through the full eight years. The major exceptions to the academy rules were of course those who didn't enter and the two demon races ruling over the regions. They were strong enough on their own.

Eighty percent of the time, Konoha Academy consisted of students that were bright, eager, and willing to follow along with the instructor.

It didn't take very long in the early years for Jiraiya, one of the academy teachers and a Legendary Master in his own right, to discover he had gotten stuck with the other twenty percent.

Not that Naruto Uzumaki was a very bad disciple but sometimes the boy just…wouldn't…shut…UP!

"Hey Ero-Sennin! Didja see that? Didja see that? Are you listening to me?"

They had been working on a new fire-based technique called Purgatory for some time now and Naruto had managed to finally produce successful flames from the end of his sword. Unfortunately, it was the sixth time and the chest of drawers he'd practiced on was reduced to ashes—along with a desk, two chairs, and a beautifully-carved table.

"OI! Ero-Sennin! We need another piece of furniture!"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. Since Naruto had entered the academy, he had never found a way to get Naruto to stop calling him a "Perverted Hermit." "I think that's enough for today brat. The school wouldn't appreciate you destroying property again." _Not that the school thinks very highly of him anyway._

Naruto spun around, blue eyes adamant. "Who cares what they think?" A big smile was plastered onto his face; he was having fun. "They could always afford more."

"You do realize that I'll be paying for it because you're my student."

"Sucks to be you."

"Brat."

"Pervert."

"Ohayo!"

Both turned towards the sliding doorway where Riaru was floating. Well, due to her wings anyway. She fluttered into the room. "Ah Naruto-kun, that looked really good from over there."

The blond boy smirked confidently although Jiraiya could see his face light up at the sight of the lovely ophan and the smile he wore seemed more real than the ones he displayed in school. _He really does care about her._

"…of course, it took you awhile to get the hang of it."

"Hey! It's not as easy as it looks Riaru-nechan!"

"Then what was with that smirk just then?"

"Ahem." Jiraiya coughed politely into his hand. The two younger beings glanced up at him. "If you guys can take it out into the hall I would really appreciate it. I have another student to teach."

Riaru blushed and nodded. "R-right. S-sorry Jiraiya-sama." She reached out and grabbed Naruto's hand. "C'mon you!" Naruto stubbornly jerked back; he was capable of walking himself thank you! But Riaru's superior ophanin strength kicked in as she yanked him out into the hall and slid the door shut.

By now a few of the other academy students had finished up on their morning sessions and were heading off to do their assignments or just loitering in the halls. However, all activity fell to a hush once it was apparent that Naruto and Riaru were in the room.

"It's _him._ "

"Who?"

"You know. The troublemaker. The dunce."

"Ooooooh."

"You mean it's _them._ " A pause. "I don't understand why that ophan bothers to come here all the time. She doesn't need to."

"You know why. She's here because of him. What does she _see_ in him?"

An unpleasant chuckle. "They live together; only seems right. Freaks of nature flock together."

Riaru felt Naruto's body stiffen and she dimly became aware of the small flicker of hurt in his large blue eyes. She could feel him put his mask on, but those eyes were always open to ophanin, to her. They made the whisker-like scars on his tan face stand out even more.

_And that's the biggest pain of all._

She honestly didn't understand why everyone seemed to despise Naruto so much. The teachers would look down on him save for a select few. Older students would cast him glances of mixed disgust and fear, and more than half of the population of Konoha did the same. Most of the students his own age, taught by their parents, treated him with contempt. Even her own people, the ophanin, would treat him with a sort of frigid politeness.

It wasn't his looks, Riaru thought to herself as she stole another glance at her surrogate brother. _Unless you count those whisker marks._ Long ago he had resembled a whiny little shrimp with no care to the world at what flew out of his mouth. Yet Naruto had grown into a very handsome young man with a toned body and physique that left no traces of the once short boy. Golden hair spilled untamed over his forehead and into those slightly slanted cerulean eyes that gave the impression of sunlight touching waves.

For some reason, she thought he reminded her of someone. She wasn't exactly sure why but the longer she'd lived with him and watched him grow…the more he seemed to resemble someone she'd seen in her dreams. A man…older perhaps…no whisker marks or blue eyes…but no less handsome.

_Why?_

"He doesn't belong here."

"Never did."

"My mother said he's probably a demon in disguise. I'd believe her."

A snort. "Tch. There's no way that kid's an ophan. He'd never make it past their pearly gates. He doesn't even have wings."

"And if you say he's a yokai then that's even harder to believe. The yokai would never accept a weak thing like _him_ into their fold."

Riaru felt a hot lick of anger sear through her stomach. _Damn them._ She wanted to make them stop; make them see what their words were doing. Their words _had_ been doing this for a long time now. _But they hate me too. I know…because I'm always with Naruto. Because I care about Naruto even when no one else does. Because I know Naruto._

 _It can't be because he's an orphan. Some people in this school are pitied for that kind of thing. So why?_ She wanted to shout it out. _WHY?_

She glanced at her suddenly silent friend. "Naruto-kun?"

The blond shook his head and gave her a large smile that was so bright it had to be fake. "They don't know anything," he whispered in a voice only meant for her ears.

Inside though, he could feel the anger and despair clawing away at him. It wasn't like he shouldn't be used to this by now. It wasn't like anything had changed in all of his seventeen years in Konoha. But Kami, you would think they would see that he'd gotten a lot stronger as a warrior by now! Naruto felt the familiar burning pinpricks at the corner of his eyes. _Damn it, I'm not gonna cry! I'm_ not _gonna cry! I'm not gonna give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me cry!_ His grip tightened, nails digging into palms until they could possibly leave bloody imprints.

"OW!" Riaru yanked her hand away from Naruto. "What the hell Naruto?"

 _Oops!_ "Uh…sorry Riaru. I…didn't mean to do that." He chuckled nervously, one hand behind his head.

Riaru frowned. "Yeah…whatever."

But the next words she heard as the veteran students passed made her insides freeze; words coupled with dirty looks.

"My father says something horrible happened on the day he was born."

"Wasn't that the day when Konoha City nearly went up in flames?"

"Yes. That was the day the head of the ophanin was killed too. My father said he had something to do with it."

"Shit. He _must_ be a monster."

 _Urusai! Shut up! Shut up!_ Riaru closed her eyes. _It's not Naruto's fault he was born on that day! It's not!_

"Wasn't Riaru around then?"

"Yeah she was. I overheard some ophanin say she was abandoned on that day."

"But demons never abandon their own kind unless you're—"

"Worthless."

Riaru shut her eyes, their serene hue faded to an almost stormy ocean blue. Kami-sama, those words…they hurt. They hurt so much. She _knew_ what the other ophanin thought of her. Sometimes she believed that she was allowed to be around them out of pity.

"Riaru…" Naruto tugged on her hand and pulled the shorter girl against the wall beside him. He waited until the veterans passed before focusing all of his attention on her. "You okay?"

She shut her eyes and forced a smile on her face. _Gotta be strong for the both of us. I'm an ophanin, not some weakling!_ "Yes."

The boy's expression changed. "Bullshit Bird Girl. I heard them and I know you're not really okay."

"Then why did you ask me?" she snapped, her glittering eyes open now so she could glare at him. _Bird Girl?_

Naruto didn't flinch. Though Riaru was the older one in their strange little family, she was a full-blooded ophan and therefore, could not keep all of her emotions hidden very well. Ophanin were meant to show their emotions. As for himself…he honestly didn't know.

_"My mother said he's probably a demon in disguise. I'd believe her."_

_How could I be a demon in disguise? This was how I always look…well, not before when I was little but still!_

_"Tch. There's no way that kid's an ophan. He'd never make it past their pearly gates. He doesn't even have wings."_

_Thank you for your so-called "wonderful" observation skills. Yes I don't have wings. If I did, I wouldn't have to walk here every day. And I don't really want to be an ophan. They're too…too…good!_

_"And if you say he's a yokai then that's even harder to believe. The yokai would never accept a weak thing like him into their fold."_

_Oh that's really low. For one thing, I'm_ NOT _weak! And for another, the yokai hate anyone who_ isn't _a yokai. Unless they hate themselves…never thought about it that way…_

Shaking his head, Naruto shifted his attention away from his thoughts and back to the ophan girl. "I've lived with you for a long time Riaru. You should know that I care about you. That's the only reason why I would bother to ask! I'm all you have!" He released her hand but did not let his gaze move away. Pain was slashed across her fair features. "Don't let them get to you okay?"

Riaru took a deep breath and let it out in one long shudder. She folded her wings behind her back, tension in the shoulder blades. "Do _you_ let them get to you Naruto?"

At once the boy tensed and for a minute Riaru thought she saw her own pain mirrored in those amazing blue depths. But the moment passed and Naruto smiled in such a way that his eyes screwed shut.

"No way are those bastards getting _me_ down. I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"

 _So childish._ Riaru resisted the urge to pester him further and opted for a smile instead. She wanted to reach out and poke his face, right where his whisker marks were. It was just a game to him after all.

 _It's not like we don't go through this all the time. But…_ She watched her laughing friend. _Naruto goes through so much more. He suffers more. Why do people hate him so much?_

The doors on their end of the hallway slid open just then. Naruto and Riaru looked up, the smiles still on their faces. Their expressions froze simultaneously.

Once again whispers broke out across the academy halls but they were no longer taunts or jeers. These whispers held a whole new meaning.

"Ohmigosh, it's him!"

"He's so hot! Catch me somebody!"

"(sigh) Is he looking this way? I'd give anything for him to look at me with those smoldering black eyes."

"It's obvious! He's looking at _me_ , not you!"

"Damn it. Why does he always get the attention? I'd kill to be in that guy's shoes."

Even the older students and teachers that passed could not resist dropping their own comments.

"There goes one of the best students in the academy."

"Sometimes I wish he didn't decide to pursue that goal of becoming a magical warrior. I'd _gladly_ take him in my department."

"Well he'll fare the best either way. He's part of one of the greatest old families after all."

"The very last of them."

All of these comments seemed to bounce right off the boy they were being tossed at but Naruto managed to catch them and sink them in. The smile on his face slowly vanished only to be replaced with a scowl.

_Sasuke._

* * *

_Damn it people. Can't you all move it along?_

He could hear them talking about him as he proceeded down the corridor but after several years of this sort of attitude, he'd successfully tuned them out. It didn't stop them from babbling on and on about him and his supposedly "amazing skills" but it helped.

_None of them is worth my time._

After all he was Sasuke Uchiha. He had more important things on his mind. Granted, they were things that could make any normal person go insane after a long time but since when was _he_ normal?

_If I'd known that this hall was going to be full, I would've just teleported my way into the training room._

No, that wouldn't have helped matters either. There would still be people ogling at him in the training room. Well so much for an escape.

_Damn it._

It was then that Sasuke could feel a pair of eyes on him. It wasn't that anybody else wasn't secretly staring at him, but this pair seemed to throw all thoughts of secrecy out the door. _Who the hell?_ He quickly scanned the hallway and found his obsidian eyes locked onto a cerulean pair; a very familiar _scowling_ cerulean pair. Sasuke was dimly aware that someone with dark sapphire eyes was also looking at him, but all he could really see were the scowling ones.

_Tch. Naruto Uzumaki._

The blond idiot was glaring right at him so Sasuke decided to take up the offer and glare right back. One could almost see the animosity between the two shimmering in heat waves. The feelings met in the center, crackling like electricity.

"Naruto-kun."

A soft voice quivered from behind Naruto and the boy was forced to break the hard stare. He turned his head. "What?"

Sasuke too shifted his gaze towards the ophan standing behind Naruto; Riaru, the boy's childhood companion and housemate. She quailed under the Uchiha's scrutiny.

"Sasuke-san." Riaru bowed her head in acknowledgment, a dull flush spreading across her smooth cheeks. "I…I hope you're well." The dark-haired boy made her very nervous but she did admit that he was handsome. Not that she'd ever tell Naruto that but with his ethereal ivory skin and eyes that were darker than a starless night…he just was.

Sasuke said nothing to her in reply. He had very little patience with the "good" ophanin and Riaru was no exception. He flicked his obsidian gaze back to the sunlit blue eyes that had resumed glaring at him. "Do I have something on my face?" he asked slowly.

Naruto blinked and narrowed his eyes even further, though he couldn't stop the shiver from trailing down his spine. Sasuke's voice, velvety but cold at the same time, had that effect on people. Most people (the girls especially) found it alluring. Others found it unnerving. _He_ just found it, along with Sasuke's other features, to be absolutely annoying.

 _I really have no idea what everyone sees in him. You'd think he was a god or something truly wonderful with the way they act. So he's smart and strong and good-looking and—ugh. I did_ not _just think that even though it's true. And of course he's got the loner bad-boy thing going for him. Really though, he's just a conceited asshole._

"I'm talking to you Uzumaki. Don't tell me you're deaf in addition to dumb."

 _Why that arrogant—_ "I heard you," Naruto snapped angrily. His tan hands curled into fists. _Damn him!_ "I wasn't staring at you Uchiha."

Sasuke raised one dark eyebrow. Why was it that Naruto was always compelled to start something with him? His lips turned up in a smirk. _Oh well, if the dobe wants a verbal fight, might as well oblige him._ "I'm sure you weren't. Our eyes were just locked together by mere _coincidence._ "

"Bastard."

"Loser."

"Bastard."

"Baka."

"Bastard."

"You could be a little more original…dobe."

 _What the—! Since when was I considered "dead-last"!_ Naruto gritted his teeth angrily, his canines surprisingly sharp. "Sasuke-teme."

"That still means 'bastard' to some degree." Sasuke's smirk broadened. His onyx eyes glinted with amusement. _He's an idiot. But for some reason, I really do enjoy riling him up. It's so easy._ Normally he wouldn't have tried this with any of the other students in the academy but Naruto was a special case. He was the only one in the school that would react with so much predictable negativity.

Naruto, however, was _not_ happy. He grunted as Riaru attempted to shake his shoulder to pull him away from the dark-haired mage warrior. _I don't care what anybody says. I'm gonna wipe that stupid smirk off of his pretty face._

He was just about to carry out with his plan when—"SASUKE-KUN!"

Sasuke froze in position as if anticipating this sort of action from the back of the hall. The smirk slipped from his features as he became the stoic Uchiha once more. But his insides were reeling. _Kami, not here…not now…_

A very pretty girl with light skin and short misty pink hair tied back with a length of ribbon darted up to him and latched onto one of his arms. Large, earnest, green eyes smiled up at his blank face. "I didn't know your training session ended at this time. You mind going down to the cleric wing with me?"

 _I was never planning on telling you my session ended at this time. And yes, I_ do _mind._

Another shriek and soon he found his other arm yanked in another direction. Pale blonde hair tied up in a high silky ponytail swept against his face and sharper green eyes glared at the other girl. "Since when did Sasuke-kun want to hang out with _you_ Sakura- _chan?_ "

The pink-haired girl's earnest expression melted into a scowl and she too pulled on the arm in her possession. "Let go of him Ino! He doesn't wanna be with you."

 _Tug._ "Oh and he wants to be with you after all? Dream on Forehead-girl."

 _Tug._ "You take that back Ino Pig!"

 _Tug._ "I'll consider it if you let go of him!"

 _Tug._ " _You_ first!"

By now the hallway had gotten even more crowded as students paused in their meanderings to watch the show. A large majority of the females were stewing over the fact that Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka were allowed to even touch Sasuke's "sacred person" while some of the males were even more jealous than before. Most of the crowd appeared faintly amused. Riaru looked worried but Naruto continued to glower at the Uchiha's expressionless face.

 _He's got two great-looking girls fighting over him in_ public _and the asshole's not even reacting! What kind of a guy is he?_

"Let him go."

* * *

Sakura and Ino glared at each other again but they hadn't uttered the words. The words flew from the mouth of a female all right, but there was power and demand radiating throughout the light timbre.

All eyes turned towards the doorway once more where a young woman stood, hands merely at her sides but marine eyes fading to indigo. Long black hair with blue glints cascaded down her back and pale skin emitted an eerie glow from an unidentifiable magical source. Her features were attractive, but not overtly so. It was the power that attracted (and scared) people above anything else.

"Let him go," she repeated.

Sakura flushed but Ino didn't. "And what? You can't hog him all to yourself Cassandra. That's not fair."

Cassandra Mikomi walked forward, hands still at her sides but magical energy shimmering around her in arcs. "That's not it. He just doesn't like being touched." The words were meant for the two girls although her blue eyes were trained on Sasuke. "I should know."

The mage warrior did not flinch when their gazes met. Indigo and onyx eyes locked onto each other, losing themselves and swallowing the other whole. The world spun on around them.

 _"You could have waited for me Sasuke,"_ the blue eyes seemed to say.

 _"Was I supposed to?"_ the black eyes responded tonelessly.

_"It would've been…nice…of you if you did."_

_"Hn. Me and nice?"_

_"Well…it would save yourself the trouble of your fan club."_

Those liquid dark pools narrowed. _"I don't care."_

_"You sure are hard to be friends with."_

_"We're housemates Cassandra. That doesn't make us friends."_

Sasuke knew it was the truth but he had a strange feeling that Cassandra was hurt every time he said that. If she was, she sure didn't show it. _Sometimes she's better at hiding her emotions than I am. Sometimes._

"Cassandra! Are you even listening to me?"

Cassandra's gaze faltered and she tore away before Sasuke's dark eyes could successfully drown her in their depths. "What was that Yamanaka?" she asked wearily. Before the blonde could answer, she rushed on, "Never mind. Just do us all a favor and release Sasuke." Knowing the dark-haired warrior despised the honorific, she didn't add "-kun" to the end of his name.

"What are you; his lover?" Ino grumbled to herself as she let go of the serious boy's arm, the latter end of the sentence tinged with envy. It was common knowledge after all that Sasuke and Cassandra lived together. Whether it was by force or by choice was open to opinion.

Sakura blushed and murmured an apology to the magical personage on Ino's behalf. She released Sasuke's arm too, keeping her head bowed low so her pink locks hung in front of her face. Not that she hadn't felt any jealousy at all towards Cassandra for being with Sasuke all the time, but she did admire the other girl and wasn't about to renege on that admiration because of her personal feelings.

A small smile ghosted over Cassandra's face. Her indigo eyes gradually lifted the darkness until they were back to being deep bright navy. Inside though, she was giving herself a serious reprimand. The way that she'd been acting was not far off what Ino was suggesting. _The last thing I need is for people to think I'm jealous._ It was a ridiculous notion but then again, why on earth did she constantly need to display a sense of protectiveness for such a stoic boy?

_A stoic boy who's not the least bit grateful and probably wouldn't hesitate to wring my neck for offering protection._

With a sigh, Cassandra held out a hand to said stoic boy. "I'm having my exam in another hour but until then do you want to practice that last spell you learned?"

"I already have it down," was the response as if the last few minutes had not happened. No excitement. No confidence. Just straight and to the point.

That was Sasuke Uchiha for you.

Her hand dropped back down to her side. "What are you going to do now then?"

Sasuke didn't reply. He merely inclined his head and marched off down the hall, hands in the folds of the swirling black cloak he wore. His midnight eyes stared straight ahead; perhaps farther than anyone ever fathomed they could look as they ignored everyone and anything around him.

Almost.

He tilted his head a bit and shot Naruto the faintest hints of a superior smirk. Nobody else noticed it—except for the one it was directed at. And then he was gone.

 _What the—how dare he smirk at me! What the hell was with that?_ With a low growl, Naruto stalked down the hall and turned the corner after the dark-haired boy; intent on demanding an explanation. Riaru called out to him but he paid no attention.

"Naruto."

Naruto blinked and spun around. Cassandra was standing in front of him in the empty corridor. _And how did_ she _sneak up on me without me hearing her? She can't fly and even then I could've heard her. And I_ know _she's not floating!_

"What's the matter Uzumaki?"

Naruto blinked. "Eh? Oh…ano…nothing." He grinned sheepishly. "It's been a while Mikomi-san. You haven't been in school for—"

"Two months. I know," she replied promptly. "I was training in Suna for some time in order to get used to my Do spells. Sage training needs more than just one city's surroundings." She wore no smile but her face was one of acknowledgment for the blond, not hatred. His heart lightened, knowing that she didn't hate him.

_She's not like Sa—like them._

But it didn't mean Cassandra really liked him either. Those eyes…they always seemed to stare into him. They stripped away all of his carefully built walls with one searing look. It was like she wanted read all of his secrets and more.

"I'm actually surprised you noticed I was gone Uzumaki," she continued. Those navy irises glinted.

"Everyone noticed you were gone when they didn't see you coming out of your house," Naruto told her. "Oh and we didn't see you with Sasuke-teme either."

Cassandra bit down on her bottom lip. She glanced down at the ground, the tied strands of black hair in front of her ears swinging. "I…Sasuke and I don't really keep each other company."

 _Huh?_ Naruto's eyes widened.

"Well…you know how he is," she muttered more to herself than the warrior. "We're just housemates. We live in the same house, we eat in the same room, and we occasionally see each other in school or around Konoha." She smiled lightly. "It's not like we're friends."

Naruto continued to gape at her. They were housemates so he assumed they'd be close like him and Riaru. _The again, it's_ Sasuke. _Since when was he friendship material?_ He blinked. _And just_ how _did they wind up as housemates again?_

Pale pink lips turned up in a small smirk. "What's with the gaping Uzumaki? Do I have something on my face?"

The comment was delivered in a playful manner but the smirk on Cassandra's face reminded Naruto disturbingly of Sasuke. _S_ _he's been hanging around the asshole too much._

"How have you been anyway?" she asked him curiously. Her head tilted to one side as if contemplating his appearance.

"The same," he told her gruffly. It was a vague reply but she could form whatever opinions she wanted with it.

"You know…" Cassandra leaned in and Naruto found the indigo of her eyes surrounding him. He shivered a little as she reached out to trace one whisker-marked cheek. "There's probably a lot more to you than people realize."

 _Huuuuuuuuh?_ The gesture was familiar enough. Riaru did it all the time except with the ophan girl it involved pulling, poking, or patting. But Cassandra's fingers sent just a bit of magical warmth through his skin. Something inside stirred and rose up in wisps.

"W-what do you mean b-by that Mikomi-san?"

The girl pulled back, the smirk still on her face. "Just some food for thought." She pressed her hands tightly against her heart, muttering, _"Fuuton: Teleport,"_ under her breath. "Oh and Uzu—Naruto?" she called before she disappeared completely in a rush of swirling air and leaves.

"Yeah?"

"Just call me Cassandra okay?"

* * *

Riaru wrapped her wings around her thin body as she waited for Naruto outside the academy doors. Usually she would wait inside but…well, the students had gotten to her that day so she'd decided outside was a much more suitable spot.

She sighed, forehead pressed to her knees. Her gossamer dress floated in the wind.

_Was it all just out of pity?_

A small glance at her snowy wings. The slight flicker of sunlight shining down on them.

_Was it all just…fake?_

Her slender hands gripped the ground.

_Would my parents…be happy?_

Riaru lifted her head and laughed. _Kami-sama, I'm sounding so much like an angsty little fool._ Her serene eyes shone. _Maybe it's because the people of Konoha and the ophanin don't really understand…oooooh, what does that matter?_ She laughed again and stood up. _The people don't understand because they don't know us. They don't want to know us. And that's okay because they don't_ have _to know us._

"Yo! Riaru!"

The ophan looked up and allowed a smile to lift her lips. Two of the few friends she'd made in her lifetime were heading her way from the end of street. They weren't native to Konoha so she had not been able to see them very often.

"Kiteru. Kirokose."

Kirokose Usagi grinned down at her and patted her on the head. He was a very energetic young man from Rain Country with light blue hair and brilliant silver eyes. Once a cleric, he'd long passed the examinations at an early age and promoted to the more versatile monk level. He mostly preferred physical fighting over healing and purging poisons though.

The other boy also smiled down at her, though a little more shyly. Unlike the energetic Kirokose, Kiteru Inugami was more subdued despite his status as a hunter. Hunter warriors were more fierce and prone to show no mercy to their prey but Kiteru, with his pale blond hair and snappy green eyes, resembled more of a friendly cleric than anything. The rimless spectacles he sometimes wore did not help.

"Did you guys just come in from Ame City?" the ophan asked him curiously.

Kiteru shook his head. "Actually we just came in from Sunagakure in Wind Country. We've been training there for a few days in order to improve our stamina."

"Really." Riaru tilted her head to one side. "Seems like everyone's been going to Suna nowadays. What's there besides sand?" _Ironic that the country's supposed to be Wind._

"Well there's a new elected city leader there," Kirokose replied, plopping down beside the green-haired girl. "And I heard his brother was pretty impressive in terms of fighting and magic. I wanted to check out his status."

"What's the leader's brother's name?"

Kiteru looked blank but Kirokose jumped right in. "His name is Gaara. 'Gaara of the Sand' they call him in Suna. Powerful combination of sage and slayer…at least I think that's what they told me. I…I've never seen anything like his magic before though; it was like it wasn't even magic at all. I couldn't tell if he was nice guy or not but he's got the creepiest eyes in the universe."

_That's…interesting._

"So how have things been with you here Ri-chan?" Kirokose's eyes were concerned. "The people around haven't been asses to you lately have they?"

 _Oh if only he knew._ "Not so much," she whispered. "Actually…it's a lot better than usual. Senko's been trying to keep most of the people in check but…well, I can't be around a slayer that's threatening to castrate everyone 24/7." A chuckle almost burst from the ophan's lips. The fiery girl _had_ threatened that pretty often.

_She must still be overseeing the other warriors._

Riaru tossed back her lush green hair. She was very eager to change the subject. "So did you manage to find Chosun in Suna or what?"

At the mention of the name, Kiteru blinked and turned a strange shade of red. Kirokose chuckled, nodding knowingly in his friend's direction. The blond hunter shot him a glare and shook his head.

_Eh? What's going on?_

"W-we didn't see Chosun anywhere," Kiteru finally told her. For some bizarre reason, the rosy blush had not left his cheeks. "We haven't heard from him in a long time Riaru. Why would he suddenly turn up in Suna?"

"You never know," the ophan said seriously. "If you remember, Chosun was about as interested in seeing fighting strength as Kirokose and Senko are. I think he might have liked to see Gaara in action." Her eyes zeroed in on Kiteru's face. The blush was receding. "Are you blushing or is it really that hot out?"

Kiteru started and the blush fired up yet again. "Oro? Um…um…I'm n-not doing anything l-like that!" He turned away quickly so his two friends could not catch it. He could just _imagine_ the smirk on Kirokose's face.

And smirk the monk did. "I wouldn't mention Chosun around Kiteru if I were you," he whispered at Riaru mischievously. "To quote from Senko: He gets all stuttery and shit."

"I…d-do _not_ get s-stuttery a-and shi—!" the hunter stammered angrily. _Damn it._ "I hate you."

The monk looked on the verge of laughing, but for the sake of the embarrassed other boy he refrained from doing so. _Maybe later._

It was at that precise moment that the doors of Konoha Academy chose to burst open and the students poured out into the street. Monk, hunter, and ophan leaped to the side to avoid being trampled. Small clouds of dust filled the air from the pounding feet.

Kiteru blinked and placed his glasses on his nose. "(cough) Man, I forgot about that."

The doors remained open even when most of the students were gone…except one Naruto Uzumaki. He was leaning against one of the doors and shaking his head as if to clear it of something.

"Naruto!" Riaru hastily got to her feet, her dress billowing around her. "I'm over here!"

The blond boy blinked and grinned at her from his place. He bounded down the steps with abnormal energy and was soon beside her and her friends. "Hey there guys."

Kiteru smiled kindly while Kirokose nodded in acknowledgment. As they weren't from Fire Country, they were among the few who actually liked the younger boy. "Naruto. How was your training session?"

Naruto shrugged. "Eeeh, it was okay. Kakashi-sensei is a little on the strict side these days. He was kinda tense today too."

Riaru, Kiteru, and Kirokose stared. _The guy can get tense?_ "Kakashi-sensei can get nervous?"

"Yep." Naruto shook his head in bemusement. "Never knew it could happen either but apparently, he can." To tell the truth, he was a little worried that Kakashi could get anxious about something. _That means either two things: the apocalypse is coming or something just as bad._ He winced. _Weird._

Speaking of weird things, Kakashi wasn't the only strange one today. His brief conversation with Cassandra Mikomi had also made it to the list of "Things that Happened that are Out of the Ordinary." _She's never actually gone out of her way to talk to me before…or anyone for that matter._ He'd remembered her being good friends with Riaru during her early years in the academy, but lately the two had not spoken much at all. In fact…Naruto frowned. _Ever since she's been with living with Sasuke they've stopped maintaining contact. Figures the frigid bastard would have an effect on her._

He was just about to voice his thoughts to Riaru but caught himself. Kiteru and Kirokose were still here and Cassandra might be a touchy subject. _I don't think they'd want to overhear…especially since they were also friends with her._

"Naruto?" The ophan was snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Are you in there somewhere?"

"Mmm…huh?" Naruto blinked. _Oh…_ "Eh heh, yeah." He smiled. "Sorry."

"You okay?" Kiteru and Kirokose registered a minimal amount of concern. "What's on your mind?"

"Uh…nothing important." _Everything._ He smiled brightly at them, mask set firmly in place. "I'm fine guys."

_Yeah…sure you are…_

* * *

_How long has it been?_

A creature rose languidly from its sprawled position on a rock. Though the day was far from over, the area around here seemed to darken faster. There was something very alien about the place; always shrouded in twilight and mysterious beauty.

_Nearly more than seventeen years since that day…but the anniversary is drawing closer…_

The creature stretched out its neck, head bobbing and undulating in the wind. Golden eyes glared at the sky as if wishing it gone.

_The kitsune…seal…_

_Kkkkk…it is growing weaker…I smell it…_

With a series of sighs, the creature closed its eyes and raised wings to the sky. The leathery wings swished before blending together in a dance of black, gold, and amethyst.

_Weaker…as the boy grows older…his birthday is coming quite soon I believe…_

By now the shape had stretched and contortioned into that of a tall man. The claws became hands and the whipcord tail vanished. The leathery legs with equally sharp claws forked into the smoother powerful legs of a human being, snout and jaws receding into a normal mouth and nose.

_A pity Minato still isn't alive…I wonder how much his son has changed…_

Feathery black wings wrapped around him, light shimmering like water from the rippling purple-black. Harsh yellow eyes reflected the glare.

_Perhaps a reunion is in order…_

**_To Be Continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and revealed classes):
> 
> The Konoha Academy is the center of various career choices from the ordinary (cook, merchant, weapons-maker) to the extraordinary (the specialized classes). The specialized classes were originally reserved for a few, but after the yokai attack on Fire Country, Konoha took it upon themselves to create their own fighting force. The specialized classes are listed below: 
> 
> Warrior: this class is the middle of the three starting classes in terms of difficulty. A warrior is portrayed as a skilled swordsman and well-rounded in physical combat. Warriors are also able to learn basic magic spells such as add-ons to weaponry and protective shields, yet they tend to lack the larger power for strong spells. They are also unable to heal without potions or ointments brewed by the clerics and paragons. Warriors will upgrade to either slayer or hunter.
> 
> Mage: the mage class is the most difficult class; needing both intense training and patience. A mage is usually more suited to long range and area attacks with powerful spells instead of full-on assault. Mages are also versatile in terms of healing and shielding, yet they tend to lack physical prowess. Most mages study spells from scrolls or books, but there are few who have innate magical prowess (specializing in certain fields). Mages will upgrade to either sage or druid.
> 
> Cleric: here, this class is the easiest starting class of the three, although it does require more patience than that of the mage class. A cleric is an expert healer and defensive unit, but is vulnerable in the physical and offensive field. However, clerics do become more powerful in the later classes they often pursue. Clerics will upgrade to either paragon or monk.
> 
> Urusai: means "Shut up."
> 
> Cassandra Mikomi: Cassandra has many meanings, namely "prophetess of doom." The meaning for the Cassandra here is "insightful" as the Cassandra of Greek mythology was often depicted as wise with a keen eye (even though no one believed her). Mikomi means "hope".
> 
> Kiteru (pronounced "Key-teru") Inugami: Kiteru means "come." Inugami means "dog" or "dog spirits."
> 
> Kirokose (pronounced "Kiro-ko-say") Usagi: Usagi means "rabbit." Kirokose was chosen by Kirokose from Ragnarok Online. The name itself is completely made-up. 
> 
> Do (Doton): means "earth" or "release earth."
> 
> Fuuton: means "release wind".


	3. Sasuke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: (sigh) The characters of the Naruto world belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the different classes of the academy come from a mix of different games ranging from RO, Dungeons and Dragons, and Fire Emblem. Some attack ideas were based off of Golden Sun (love that game). All unfamiliar peoples belong to me along with the new ideas relating to said classes (this includes the demons).

_They told me there was nothing out there, nothing to fear. But the night my parents were murdered I caught a glimpse of something. I've looked for it ever since. I went around the world, searched in all the shadows. And there is something out there in the darkness, something terrifying, something that will not stop until it gets revenge. Me,"_ —Batman Begins

" _You and I are not much different. You take life when you have to, as I do,"—_ Commodus  
 _"I have only one more life to take. Then it is done,"—_ Maximus, Gladiator

Evening was beginning to come around on the city of Konoha as the skies changed from light blue to red, to pink, and finally to a dull bruise palette of purple and deep blue. Starlight had not yet formed in the sky.

The doors to Konoha Academy opened and closed again long after Naruto, Riaru, and their friends had left. Apparently, not all of the students had come out of training after all.

"So did you pass?" A voice asked, boredom clear in its dark tone.

"Well…it was one of the hardest examinations I've ever had to take. Yes, I passed." The response was the light voice of a female. A pause. "You're just curious aren't you?"

A snort. "Of course. You honestly thought I _cared_ if you passed?"

"Just checking to make sure you didn't suddenly grow a heart Sasuke."

"Hn."

Sasuke Uchiha, in all of his brooding exterior, walked down the steps of the academy. His charcoal eyes were concentrating on the ground, silky raven hair fluttering around his pale face. Beside him, Cassandra Mikomi was fiddling with a pale yellow scarf secured loosely around her waist that indicated her upgrade to the next level.

"So…training again in the woods?"

Sasuke glanced up at her. His cloak, the same strange blue-black shade of his hair, billowed around him in waves. He nodded once, but the swirling abyss in his irises told her: _Alone._

"Okay." Cassandra looked away. Despite her upgrade as a sage and her strong form, she appeared weaker than the dark-haired boy. "See you later ne?"

"Probably not until very late," Sasuke replied emotionlessly. He'd turned around again. Cassandra didn't watch…just as she didn't watch him leave.

Her reply was barely audible. "Yeah."

* * *

_It doesn't matter._

Sasuke could feel that thought running through his head again as he reached a small shady area away from the noise of the city and its inhabitants. Nobody ever came here.

_It doesn't matter._

_What_ didn't matter?

Well…many of the daily things that he'd gone through for the past nine years of his life didn't really matter. The admirers, the academy scores, the last four years living with Cassandra, and Naruto the dobe…none of that actually mattered.

Training mattered though. Becoming stronger mattered. Keeping people at a distance mattered. His vengeance, most of all, mattered.

_I can't forget about what happened,_ Sasuke thought as he slowly concentrated most of his magical aura on a single tree. It was old and bent with rotting age.

" _Katon: Fire Dragon!"_

He took a deep breath and blew a steady stream of fire from his mouth, the stream increasing in heat and taking the form of a rising dragon. With very little effort, he reduced the tree to ashes.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the small pile of ashes. _Seems two months of practice have finally paid off._ He wasn't done though.

Did training ever really end for this once-broken boy?

"Still working Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha blinked and looked over to the left, not completely keeping his eyes off the pile of ashes. A young man with silvery-white hair and a black mask completely concealing most of his face save for one grayish eye leaned against one of the other trees lazily. A book was held between the fingers of his right hand.

"Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei." The tone in Sasuke's voice had not changed but the added honorific signified his slight respect for the older man.

Kakashi Hatake seemed to grin behind the mask. He placed the book down for a minute. "Need some help?"

"I'm quite capable of handling things myself thanks," Sasuke replied coldly. He didn't mean for it to come out that way; it just…did.

Kakashi ignored the frigid pitch in the onyx-eyed youth. There was much more behind Sasuke besides the cold tone and the "don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-kick-your-ass" attitude. The boy was the last of his family after all.

"Just asking. Hope you don't mind if I watch."

Sasuke contemplated that. On the one hand, he disliked company and that included teachers. On the other hand, Kakashi was pretty impressive in the young boy's eyes and it wouldn't really hurt his training just to have someone comment once.

Decision made, he nodded once. "Whatever." Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and pressed his hands together in the summoning ritual.

_"Summon: Sanshouo!"_

He formed a few seals and rapid movements, all the while concentrating all of his force on the ashes in front of him. They rose up into the air, swirling around and clumping together to form an overlarge slimy lizard. It leered at Sasuke.

Sasuke, however, shook his head and unsheathed the katana strapped to his side underneath the folds of his dark cloak. _Time to test out the warrior part of my status._ His eyes narrowed and began to grow a red tinge as the energy snaked down the glimmering blade of his sword. _No mistakes now._

* * *

_It's dark…but he said he was going to be late._

Cassandra glanced out the window from the kitchen. The sky had taken on such a brilliant deep blue hue; the same hue that was reflected in her irises. Stars flickered against the sky, shimmering and glistening in a world not yet affected by toxin.

She was used to spending evenings alone before Sasuke came home from his extra training, but today seemed a little more lonely than usual. The house she was staying in suddenly felt too large, too empty.

_But it's not my house; it's Sasuke's. That's to be expected._

The Uchiha manor was just like Sasuke in nearly every way: empty but with the whisper of so many secrets lying beneath the surface.

_It's cold too,_ she thought with a small grimace. Rolling her eyes, she slipped away from the kitchen, allowing the heat of her magical aura to warm her. _And somehow…sad._

The arrangement for the two to live together had _not_ been by choice though Cassandra knew some of the girls in Konoha believed it to be that way. It was simply an arrangement a potential mage could make to room with another magic user to offer additional strategy and instruction. The housemates had been selected randomly and Cassandra had the luck, or misfortune, of landing with Sasuke Uchiha. She remembered the looks of envy around the school for days.

Sasuke was less than thrilled with the decision, but he hadn't made any complaints. As a daughter of Archsage Haru Mikomi, Cassandra was a powerful spell-caster and quite intelligent in her own right. The fact that she was one of the few people in all of Konoha not showing any hints of attraction toward him added points in her favor.

Cassandra sighed, wrapping her pale arms loosely around her clothed body. She'd watched other students of the academy grow closer together and even some families reconcile over the years. A primary example would be the Hyuuga family, which had been rocky for ages.

_Four years…four years and we haven't acted any different. It's like a big…polite…charade._

Sasuke was an Uchiha; that much was certain. He was cold and unfeeling and took no nonsense from anybody. He'd brush off insults and admiring comments like it was second nature (and perhaps to him it was). Though an orphan, he was no fragile flower that constantly needed tender loving care and protection. He was a rough diamond by nature and by heart; a warrior who stubbornly fought for himself and did not care for outside help.

Everything had become so different ever since she'd gone to live with the Uchiha boy. Well…not Sasuke of course. _He_ at least remained the same. But she remembered a time when her focus had not been on the path to a sage like her father, but her precious friend Riaru.

_I refuse to believe that all of the Uchihas were like this._ She bit her lip. _They weren't like this when I first met them…they were actually okay for a noble clan. Itachi…well before he disappeared was okay…I suppose. And Sasuke…_ She shook her head. _Sasuke actually smiled._

But how the hell could she know of what happened between now and when she'd first met the Uchihas? She'd been only nine at the time when they were all murdered. People changed over the course of many years didn't they?

***Flashback***

_Cassandra stared up and around the foyer of the Uchiha manor with awe. Sure the house back home was big (with good reason considering the size of her family) but it was nothing compared to this! This place was so huge and airy, not hemmed in by so many people.  
_

_She didn't know why she had to come along to meet the head of the Uchiha without the rest of her family though. Her father spoke about something confusing but it had made her stepmother smile._

" _I understand the procedure quite well Fugaku," Haru Mikomi said gruffly to his friend. "You're right in considering noble clans as the highest and best choice for engagement. I've already married off two of my eldest sons to the Hyuuga clan and my oldest daughter to the Usagis in Rain Country. But surely there are other girls in Konoha that could satisfy your standards for your eldest son. My daughter Raine for instance."_

_Fugaku Uchiha smiled warmly at the mention of the future heir of the Uchiha clan: Itachi. "That I know, but your family holds the most powerful magical aura, hence the reason why so many spell-casters marry into it. Your daughter meets my standards for Itachi in terms of intelligence and she may blossom in a few years in talent. Raine, on the other hand, appears to care little about your family's legacy."  
_

_"Itachi is only twelve if I'm not mistaken," said Haru. Although, he had to admit the boy looked a bit old for twelve. "And Cassandra is only eight. There is still time for them to get acquainted before we should speak seriously of their engagement. However…" A smile lifted the corners of his weary mouth. "It would be an honor and pleasure to unite the Mikomi clan with the Uchiha clan."_

_Fugaku clasped his hand firmly. His beautiful wife Mikoto smiled and nodded in the background. "Thank you Haru. The same to you."_

_The next few minutes were spent calling for Itachi to come out of his room and greet the guests standing in the entryway of the Uchiha manor. He took his time turning the corners of the long halls. He was not a stupid boy; he had suspicions the reasons for the visit had something to do with him._

_"Konnichiwa Itachi-kun," said Haru, bowing slightly. The Uchiha boy returned the bow. "I hope you are well." He placed a hand onto Cassandra's shoulder and gently nudged her forward._

_"I suppose," Itachi replied with disinterest. What did they want with him? His eyes shifted to the little girl across from him. She was sucking on her bottom lip vacantly, her yellow band keeping her black hair from covering her eyes. "Who are you?"_

_Fugaku nodded at his son. "This is Cassandra, Haru's second-youngest daughter. She's the one closest in age to Sasuke."_

_"Ah." Itachi's eyebrows lifted in somewhat interest now._

_"Cassandra-chan, this is my oldest son Itachi Uchiha."_

_Cassandra stared up at the Uchiha boy, now somewhat nervous under the intense scrutiny she was being placed under. His eyes were dark and fathomless and he was handsome…very handsome despite the strained lines beneath those eyes. Long dark hair draped around his face before ending in a very loose ponytail. She blinked and lowered her head, suddenly very self-conscious. "It's _…nice to meet you."_  
_

_Itachi continued to gaze down at her before glancing at his parents. "And…why is she here?"_

_"Your fathers are considering your betrothal and the possibility of marriage," Mikoto informed her son._

_At the word, Cassandra's eyes widened to the size of plates._ WHAT? _Marriage? To this boy? She may have been only eight but she_ knew _what marriage was…sort of.  
_

But…I barely know him! Scratch that, I don't _even_ know him!

_Even from her lowered position, the little girl could feel Itachi's frown. "This must be a mistake. I'm too young to get married and have children. And…isn't that illegal?"_

_His parents laughed along with Cassandra's father. "At your age of course Itachi! We're just thinking of the future." Fugaku gestured for Haru and Mikoto to follow him. "We'll leave you to get acquainted while we settle the arrangements."_

_Cassandra glanced up and felt the dark eyes of her betrothed lock onto hers. She swallowed instinctively._ I…I feel like I'm sinking. _"I-Itachi…san…"_

_He reached out and caught her chin between two of his fingers. For some reason, she had the urge to shudder. "Are you always this shy?" he asked her softly._

_"Ye—no." Of course she wasn't shy! Among her friends, she was the one with the spontaneous, carefree personality. Kiteru was the one who was shy!  
_

_"You seem pretty smart for an eight-year-old though."_

_"Th-thank you_ _Itachi-san." Her heart reacted kindly to the compliment._

_Itachi laughed quietly and pulled away. "I don't agree with what our parents are doing…but we'll have to manage." Like a silent panther, he slipped away back from the door he came through. Cassandra let out a sigh of relief._

I guess he's not a bad boy…but why do I have to _marry_ him?

_"Ohayo."_

_The negative thoughts running through the girl's head were dispelled as she found herself locking gazes with a much younger pair of dark eyes. The eyes belonged to an adorable little boy with a striking resemblance to Itachi. "Are you the girl that came to visit Aniki?"_

_Cassandra blinked. "Uh…yeah. I didn't know Itachi-san had a brother."_

_He smiled at her. "I'm Sasuke." He held out his small hand. "What's your name?"_

_If Itachi had made her feel uncomfortable, Sasuke put her at ease. Cassandra smiled and took his hand in her equally tiny one. "I'm Cassandra Mikomi…but people call me 'Cassie.'"_

***End Flashback***

_Creak._ The door opened and closed.

"Sasuke?" she called out in the empty hall.

There was a small shuffle followed by her housemate's deep voice. "Yes."

Cassandra slowly walked across the smooth wooden floor until she could see him standing near the door at the very end of the hall. He was hanging up his cloak while keeping a secure hold on his katana.

"You're not late," she whispered, wondering if he heard it.

Sasuke turned and gazed at her. It wasn't the trademark "Death Glare" he was known for but it was not anything particularly pleasant either. "I said I _might_ be back late."

"Oh…right." Cassandra blinked before tilting her head in the direction of the kitchen. "I…I made some onigiri. I've already eaten but I know how much you seem to like them." Her voice sounded curiously flat for an attempt at affection.

The dark-haired boy gave her another piercing stare before nodding once. He swept past her silently, muttering, "Thanks."

She nodded, her face downcast. _Well at least he said thank you. Proves he has manners even if he is a…what is it Uzumaki called him one time? A complete asshole._

At the entrance to the kitchen Sasuke stopped. "Before I forget…Cassandra."

"Yeah Sasuke?" she asked curiously. _Usually he doesn't talk to me much when it's this late._

"Congratulations on your upgrade to sage." Sasuke turned his head to look at her. There was an actual earnest spark of approval in those midnight irises before they became the cold ones he presented to the world. "You deserved it."

Then he was gone.

Cassandra blinked once…twice. She knew she was gawking and she hastily shut her mouth. _Sasuke…_

Another thing about the youngest Uchiha: he never ceased to surprise her.

* * *

"I still say that your people are way too good for their own…good."

Riaru looked up from the stove where she was heating up some ramen. "We're not angels Naruto."

"Never said you were. After all, the last time I checked about angels, they were sweet and compassionate and weren't half as ugly as you."

_Whap!_

"OW! I was kidding! KIDDING!" Naruto held the back of his head, rubbing the spot where Riaru had struck him. "Sheesh, you ophanin can't even take a joke."

Riaru clacked her tongue impatiently, biting back a smile. "You deserved it you baka."

_Oh she deserves this now._ "…anyway, you hit like a sissy girl."

Pause.

"EXCUSE ME!" The ophan was on the verge of hitting him again when Iruka walked through the door. She blinked and fisted her hand at her side. "Eh…welcome home Iruka-otousan."

Iruka smiled at her wearily, his eyes twinkling with acknowledgment of the argument that had just taken place only seconds before he'd walked through the door. "Did I miss something important?"

"Nothing," Naruto jumped in before Riaru could squeal to Iruka how "Naruto-kun" was being _soooo_ mean to her while she was trying to cook ramen for the family. "We were just, uh, doing the usual banter. What's a few arguments between siblings?"

_For one, we're not siblings,_ Riaru thought as she went back to cooking the ramen. _And yet I can't any time of my life when I wasn't with Naruto or Iruka-otousan._ She frowned as her thoughts drifted back to what the students in the academy had said. _Was I really abandoned by my family?_

"…and Kakashi-sensei taught us a new way in how to hone our energy into our feet so we can increase our speed. Senko got it right on the first try—damn slayer—and then—" Naruto glanced over at the spaced out Riaru. "Oi Riaru! Wanna come back down to earth and join us?"

Riaru shook her head. She would discuss her disturbing thoughts with Iruka later—preferably when Naruto wasn't in the room. "Sure." She set the finished ramen on the table, mind clearly elsewhere.

As a contrast to the ophan's state of mind, Naruto's mind was focused entirely on the meal in front of him. Indeed he devoured the homemade ramen with such vigor it was amazing he didn't upset the table and the bowls along with it.

Iruka patiently sipped his broth as he eyed the pair across the table and he couldn't help the smile that cracked across his face at the sight of them. He remembered the day when they'd been given to him, a promise from Minato seventeen years ago. He'd been such a young bumbling teenager back then.

_Who knew having two demons thrust into my life would alter all of that so fast?_

"…Shashuke-teme wash bein' an ashhole ash usual. Oh an' I talked to Mikomi-shan today."

Riaru's hand froze in the action of lifting her chopsticks. _Cassie?_ Her stomach contracted painfully.

"Cassandra Mikomi?" Iruka asked, intrigued. "The archsage's second-youngest daughter?" _That's odd. Why would_ she _go out of her way to talk to Naruto?_

"Dash duh one," Naruto said through a mouthful of noodles. He swallowed and said, "It was no big deal. She just asked how I was doing and all." He frowned, remembering her hand brushing against his whisker marks. That, coupled with the smirk that resembled Sasuke, officially labeled Cassandra as a very strange girl.

Perfect. Thinking about Cassandra had led him to thinking about the Uchiha bastard. Naruto stared down at the brownish liquid in his soup bowl. Stupid Sasuke. He just _had_ to perform as well as Senko Tora in the new technique Kakashi-sensei had shown them. He just _had_ to impress everyone and act like it was no big deal.

And yet…Naruto could have sworn he caught the older boy's dark eyes on him when he performed the new technique. He remembered that of all the people that were watching him, he easily found Sasuke's gaze separate from the crowd. And for one strange moment, those eyes had not looked harsh and filled with cold malice. It was like he had seen a different Sasuke…one whose eyes were lonely.

Sasuke and Cassandra. It was only fitting that two such odd personages should live together.

* * *

 _I'm surprised she made onigiri,_ thought Sasuke as he rinsed the plate under the sink. The cold water slipped and slid over his pale hands as he reached for the tap to turn off the faucet. _Usually she doesn't expect me to eat._

Oh well. What was the point in thinking about Cassandra's sudden change of habit? Sasuke shook his head and dried the plate. Setting it on the counter, he slipped off down the dark halls of the silent house. Cassandra's room light was still on.

As he passed by the door, Cassandra slid it open. She'd changed out of her traditional sage garb in favor of an indigo robe that hung limply on her slender figure. "Sasuke?"

"I'm going to bed," he informed her.

She blinked and nodded. "Ah okay." She gazed at the ground for a minute and then looked up again. "Um…

He paused. _That's weird._ "What?"

"Uh…well…" Cassandra stared at the back of his high-collared dark shirt. The Uchiha fan sewn on the back seemed to stare back at her almost coldly. For a minute she wanted to ask him what was wrong…if there was anything she could do. "Oyasumi Sasuke. Sweet dreams." She shut the door before he could say anything in reply, be it a biting retort or a chilly response.

Sasuke rested one hand on the wall beside him. _Sweet dreams? She actually wished me sweet dreams?_ If Cassandra's earlier actions had been confusing then this one just about topped them. He flicked an onyx gaze at the door. _Oh whatever._

The day had been a strange one, Sasuke decided as soon as he'd entered his room. Not even bothering to shut the door all the way, he swiftly changed into comfortable sleepwear and all but flung himself onto the large bed.

Yet he wasn't sleepy; mentally that is. Physically, it felt as if every part of his body ached from training earlier. Kakashi hadn't, as it turned out, been a silent bystander for very long and the two had ended sparring. It left Sasuke drained.

The conversation that the slayer had struck up during the spar was also strange. Normally, a person wouldn't bother to speak to Sasuke because there was very little chance of him answering back and an even smaller chance of him actually listening. Either Kakashi was just ignorant about such things or he simply didn't care.

***Flashback***

_"You do seem fixated on training more than the other students," Kakashi commented as he drew out his own sword silently. The orange book was still held between the two fingers of the other hand._

_"What's it to you why I am?" Sasuke demanded, grip tightening on his own katana._

_Kakashi's eyes crinkled with amusement. "It's nothing. I could be curious…or bored…or both." With a snap, the book shut and he positioned himself across the training ground from the moody dark-haired boy. "So Sasuke how are things with your living arrangement?"_

" _Hn. What are you talking about?" Sasuke scowled and measured the distance between him and his teacher with his mind's eye. His eyes darkened at the change of subject._

_Kakashi was surveying his actions with mild interest. As Sasuke rushed forward, he calmly blocked him with the hilt of his sword. "I'm talking about you and Cassandra. Are you playing nicely or do you behave like any married couple?"_

_The young mage warrior snorted and he jerked his sword away from Kakashi with a smooth upswing. "She's tolerable, but I don't treat her differently from anyone else."_

_"So…you actually speak to her?"_

_"Hn."_

_The masked slayer took that trademark grunt as a "yes" and smiled…or it seemed like he did anyway. "I hope you're being a good boy around her Sasuke. Of course…she's a sage so she'd probably keep you in line anyway."_

_"We're not…like that," Sasuke snapped. His sword collided with Kakashi's but the older man appeared far from fazed. If anything, he looked even more amused._

_"Lighten up Sasuke. I never implied that you would do something naughty around her. Besides…if you did…"_

_Sasuke glared at him suspiciously as they locked swords once more. He was pushing the metal as close as he could to Kakashi but the man was solid as a rock. "What?"_

_Kakashi laughed and pulled back deliberately, sending Sasuke stumbling to the ground. He waved his orange book at him. "You'd need a teacher for that too."_

***End flashback***

_Stupid sensei,_ thought Sasuke, inwardly wincing. The conversation had ended there and the rest of the spar had continued on in silence. Yet his head continued to function where his body had chosen to give up.

It was not that Sasuke hated Cassandra. Okay, so he was more than a little annoyed with the fact that he had to have his own private bubble shattered by their arrangement, but over time he became used to having her around the usually empty house. If anything, he was thankful for another person inside the lonely halls. It'd been quiet for so long with nothing but ghosts and memories to keep him company.

_Not_ that he'd ever tell Cassandra that. She was good company and a talented tutor in magic and spells, but it didn't mean he liked her much. It was too unlike him and too…dangerous. She was his brother's fiance after all. The days when they were close friends ended years ago.

Maybe his mind was restless because of the countdown from today. Three more days until…Sasuke shuddered and closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about his past. He didn't want to think about the upcoming nightmares. Dreams that had him shivering and waking up dripping in cold sweat only to discover them not to be real. Dreams that drew Cassandra's worry when she came to live here.

_"Sasuke, you were crying out in your sleep. Something about your family."_

_"Was not. It must've been your imagination."_

_"Why would I imagine you doing something like that? You're Sasuke Uchiha."_

_"Exactly my point. You're just wasting your time."_

_"Guess I was…but it was the third time this month."_

_"It's_ nothing _Mikomi_. _"_

She'd long given up on asking about his dreams that occurred this time of year. Maybe she was afraid it would sever any sort of tie she had towards the cold-hearted boy. Or maybe it was because she figured he'd kick her ass.

_I can't let her know,_ Sasuke thought as he scowled at the ceiling. His eyes burned fiercely, melding into red. _I can't let anybody know._

* * *

Sasuke wasn't the only one that was lying awake in his bed. Blocks away in another bed, Naruto stared at the sloping expanse of his ceiling, possibly checking for cracks.

_Today was really weird. Why can't I get what Cassandra said out of my head?_ The girl had never went out of her way to be very friendly before. True, she'd never made fun of him or looked at him with the harsh cold eyes of the city dwellers, but she never paid much attention to him anyway. It was really strange.

_Not to mention Sasuke today…_

Okay, why was he AGAIN thinking of that damn Uchiha? Naruto grumbled and rolled over in bed. He had no reason to think about him; no reason at all. So what if the boy had been staring at him today? _Everybody_ stared at him or ignored him depending on their mood!

But those eyes…those fathomless dark eyes…they'd looked so…calculating.

_Why was he looking at me with those eyes? I didn't do anything to him. And since when was the Almighty Uchiha interested in me?_

Nearly everyone stared at him with anger or hate or disgust in their eyes. Even the children of his own generation would do the same merely for the sake of their parents and appearance.

_What is it about me that they hate?_ Naruto glared up at the ceiling, all thoughts of Sasuke vanishing temporarily from his brain. _Can't be the looks heh heh._ He frowned. _Although…these whisker marks on my face_ do _call a lot of attention._ One hand reached up to touch the lines on his tanned face. Where had they come from? _Did I get them from my parents…or are they just a strange birth defect?_

So many questions. There was no _way_ he'd be able to get any proper sleep tonight. The blond groaned and sat up. _Might as well go get some milk to drink._

As he stumbled down the hallway, he could see light filtering from the kitchen. _Eh? Someone else is up besides me?_ He reached the doorway and peered around the side of the wall.

Iruka was sitting at the table, hands resting on the smooth top. Riaru sat across from him, her wings shrunken until they resembled the size of a pigeon's. She wasn't used to making them completely disappear yet like the elder ophanin or high-born. Her slender hands were folded in her lap and her head was bowed.

"So that's what's been bothering you Ri-chan?"

"Uh huh." Riaru lifted her emerald head. "People have always been whispering stuff like that and while I usually ignore it…it really struck something today. Was I really abandoned by my family? My real family?"

Naruto froze. He'd never heard Riaru talk about her real family before. He knew that she'd been with him and Iruka all of his life.

_Maybe something happened when I wasn't around._

Iruka sighed and allowed his hands to slip off the table. Riaru watched him, patiently waiting for his answer.

"Ri-chan, I never knew your parents," said the brunette slowly. She shifted uncomfortably. "I wasn't…well, you know I was just with the ophanin during the day that…Konoha was attacked by the yokai. I was…occupied with something very important so I don't really know the details about your parentage. And…I'm sorry I never did think to ask the elders but I was young then. Younger than you."

The young ophan smiled sadly. She thought as much. She shouldn't expect anything more. "It's all right Iruka-otousan. I was just curious. I mean, all my life I've been with you and Naruto-kun. And…you're both human while I'm a demon. I can't help thinking that…I don't belong here."

Naruto curled one hand into a fist and let it rest against the smooth wall. Her words reverberated through his head.

_"I can't help thinking that…I don't belong here."_

It was the same thought that often coursed through his own heart whenever he felt the icy stares of the people of Konoha and the chilly politeness of the ophanin whenever he encountered them. Yet he didn't think Riaru would feel the sense of exile inside their own home.

"Do you dislike being in this family Ri-chan?" Iruka asked the girl gently.

Riaru shook her head violently. "No, it's not that. I love being part of this family. You and Naruto mean the world to me. It's just…I don't like feeling as if I were abandoned. I hate this sensation of not knowing who I am or where I came from." She laughed. "Wondering if 'Riaru' is even my real name at all."

Something passed over Iruka's face and he looked more troubled than he originally was. Riaru didn't notice but Naruto did.

_What's up with that? Iruka knows something about that. Is Riaru her real name?_

"I understand your worries," the man said slowly and carefully. "After all, it's always been just you and Naruto facing the world."

" _You_ found us though Iruka-otousan," the ophan pointed out. Her sapphire eyes were wide and anxious. "Do…do you know what happened that day?"

He hesitated. "I…I'm not authorized to tell you yet. It's not in my power." He smiled ruefully. "You're an ophan and Naruto is…a special case. I'm just a mere human with mere average powers when it comes to the demons who control this land."

Behind the wall, Naruto shut his eyes. _How am I a special case? What's wrong with me?_ He opened his eyes again. _Damn it, I'm seventeen years old! I should be almost of age to become my own boss now! Are the ophanin really preventing Iruka of telling me the truth?_

What _was_ the truth?

Iruka stood up, a strained smiled on his face. "You should get some rest Ri-chan. The high-born ophanin requested that you speak to them tomorrow and I don't want you to miss anything important because you felt like sleeping instead." A small chuckle burst from the girl's mouth. He reached out and patted her shoulder. "So go to bed."

Just as he was turning around to head off to his own room, Riaru spoke again. Her words could barely be heard. "Just answer one thing for me. Is…is Naruto…my brother?"

Naruto's eyes widened. _What kind of question is that? Of course I'm not her brother! I don't have wings! I'm not a demon…uh right?_

Iruka sighed and gave her an enigmatic smile. "He's not. But if you say he is…he is." He turned around again. "Good night Ri-chan."

As he left the room, both Naruto and Riaru had the same thought running through their heads: _HUH?_

* * *

How many rooms were there in the house? Was there a technique he forgot to perform today? Did he call Naruto a dobe at least twice?

That last sentence had come out of nowhere. Sasuke blinked. He wasn't sure if he'd actually called Naruto a dobe twice in addition to the other names he'd given the moron. It was hard to keep track.

_It's useless. I'm too restless to get to sleep._ Sasuke grumbled and sat up, shoving aside his sheets. It wasn't a very cold night anyway.

Moonlight was shining through his window like a beam of glimmering white. He sighed and glanced through the glass, the light catching the paleness of his skin. He seemed almost ghostly; ethereal.

_"Aniki! Aniki!" A little boy was sitting in the middle of an enormous room, wailing. Moonlight was stained red through the windows. "Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!"_

_Tears streamed down pale cheeks as a looming presence looked on in cold silence. Bodies scattered across the floor…_

_Blood was everywhere…everywhere…_

Sasuke screwed his eyes shut, one hand reaching up to curl against the windowsill. Underneath his eyelids, he saw red and his magical aura flared for a minute before winking out.

So many people in the world always told each other to forgive and forget a mishap done to them. _He_ was not like them. He would _never_ forgive and he certainly could never forget no matter how hard he tried to.

_I have a promise to keep…and I will keep it…even if it ends up killing me._ He glanced at the wall, knowing that a few feet away his housemate slept peacefully. _It's not like anyone would care once I'm gone._

**_To Be Continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (just in case):
> 
> Katon: Fire Dragon: means "Release Fire: Fire Dragon"
> 
> Summon Sanshouo: means "Summon Salamander."
> 
> Otousan: means "father."
> 
> Ohayo: means "Good morning." 
> 
> Oyasumi: means "Good night." 
> 
> **Japanese phrases and words in this fic will be sparingly depending on the situation and who is the speaker. Usually the more polite the characters are trying to be, the more often they will use the Japanese phrase or word (except in Naruto's sarcastic case).


	4. Classification

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The characters of the Naruto world belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the different classes of the academy come from a mix of different games ranging from RO, Dungeons and Dragons, and Fire Emblem. The attacks will range from my own thoughts, to Golden Sun, to the actual anime/manga Naruto. All unfamiliar peoples belong to me along with the new ideas relating classes and demons.

" _Ever since I can remember…ever since I a child, I've had this knife of sadness in my heart. And as long as it's there, I'm strong, I'm untouchable. But the moment I take it out... I'll just die,"—_ Abigail Whistler

" _A dropout will beat a genius through hard work,"—_ Rock Lee, Naruto

It was turning out to be a dull day for Naruto Uzumaki although an added perk was that nobody out of the ordinary glared at him or called him a moron. Sasuke wasn't out of the ordinary so this didn't apply to him.

It had been two days since Cassandra had followed him through the academy halls and left him with cryptic answers. He had yet to approach her about that rare display of attention. He had also conveniently forgotten to question Riaru on her dwindled friendship with the newly appointed sage.

The problem was that he hadn't caught a glimpse of the dark-haired girl in the last two days. He'd seen Sasuke more than enough for his liking, but Cassandra was never around the Uchiha.

_Maybe they're avoiding each other._

_THUMP!_

"Ow!"

"Hn. Why don't you watch where you're going idiot?"

Naruto rubbed his shoulder, cerulean eyes narrowed. _Speaking of Sasuke…_ "What the hell teme? _You_ were the one who bumped into _me!_ "

"I didn't and do you have to be so loud?" Sasuke sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "Usuratonkachi."

_Oh so now he's decided to upgrade me from "moron" to "moron of morons",_ Naruto thought darkly. _Hooray for me._ "I'm allowed to be as loud as I want. It's a free country."

"This country is controlled by demons you idiot. Since when can _that_ be considered free?"

The brunette continued to rub at his eyes and Naruto was suddenly struck anew at how… _tired_ …he looked. Faint shadows lined those already dark-lashed eyes and his head seemed to droop from its normal straight stance. And was that a yawn he was fighting to keep back?

Sasuke scowled at Naruto and lowered his hand. Apparently, he really didn't appreciate staring even though the female population did it whenever they were available. "What?"

"Uh…are you tired or something?" Naruto tilted his head to one side. "I mean, your last practice session with Kakashi-sensei probably wasn't _that_ exhausting." _And no I'm not worried! I'm just curious._

The scowl intensified. "I'm not tired."

Naruto shrugged. "Well you sure could've fooled me with that yawn you're holding back."

"I'm not ho-hol-ding back a yawn," Sasuke snapped, suppressing the gust of air rallying to rise from his throat. He glared at the ground. "It's none of your business what I'm feeling like."

Naruto shuffled his feet. This was definitely the longest conversation the two had held outside the academy classrooms, and it was the first that did not include them trading insults back and forth and nothing else. For some bizarre reason, he didn't want it to end anytime soon. "Actually it is. Don't want anyone to accuse me of cheating when I beat you just because you decided to take a nap."

Sasuke's scowl melted away into his traditional superior smirk. He lifted his head again until it was level with Naruto's face. "I'd probably kick your ass even if I was sleeping _and_ incapacitated from the waist down."

"You asshole."

"Weakling."

_Now_ this _is the Sasuke I know._ Naruto grinned, ignoring the last insult. "Nice to see you returning to your old jerky self."

"Tch. Don't say such stupid things dobe," replied Sasuke coldly. He rubbed at his eyes again unconsciously. "See you later." He brushed past Naruto jerkily, almost as if his muscles were too stiff to move properly.

The blond turned his head and watched the dark-haired Uchiha walk away along the long hallway. He barely acknowledged other students hurrying to their classes. There was definitely something wrong with the bastard today—and he didn't like it.

* * *

If someone were to walk around the academy, they would probably dub the cleric section as the prettiest and most efficient-looking area out of the other classes. Maybe this was due to its role in healing or the almost holy ethereal glow that radiated from the pristine halls. Harsh light from outside always appeared to dim when it peeked through the cleric section's round windows, and even the standard white walls had a buttery homey texture. Either way, a slayer like Senko Tora stuck out like a sore thumb in a place like this.

_Why the hell did_ I _have to be the one to fetch Sakura Haruno? I wasn't doing anything bad,_ the hot-tempered girl wondered. _Okay, so slamming Sai on the head was a little over the top…but it wasn't_ my _fault! Dumbass should've ducked or something!_

Slayers were among the two classes warriors were allowed to upgrade into once they had passed the training examinations. By far, they were labeled as the most dangerous. While hunters were used for normal tracking, attacking, and guarding the city, occasionally becoming one with the nature around them; slayers resembled the silent assassins reserved for only the most hazardous threats against Konoha. They were trained to be the elite squad, some having been veterans from the time of the yokai and ophanin conflict.

It took hard work and more than enough skill to reach the slayer level, but anyone with eyes would see that Senko met the requirements. Not willing to be outdone by her male counterparts, she was a strong girl of eighteen with red-brown eyes that displayed her fiery "tiger" nature. The blood-red cloth of the metal forehead protector she wore around her short dark tresses only emphasized this fact.

_Slayers don't do messenger work,_ Senko grumbled in her thoughts as she pushed aside the sliding _shoji_ screen of one of the classrooms.

The class, which consisted of more girls than Senko was accustomed to seeing in a class, was seated on small cushions on the floor. All of the tables had been pushed off to the sides of the room. Iruka Umino, the Paragon Master and the most capable cleric teacher in the school, was busy explaining how water could be manipulated to soothe any type of injury before healing took place.

"Excuse me."

Iruka stopped speaking to the small class and turned toward her. "Oh…Senko. Did you need something?"

Senko bowed politely. Although she was a born warrior, she did have manners. "Gomenesai Iruka-sensei, but I need to borrow Sakura Haruno for a moment. I promise it won't take long."

Among the group of eager clerics, the pink-haired girl eyed Senko warily while the other only stared back with emotionless eyes. It was nothing personal. Senko had never been very taken with any of the clerics. She thought it was "the easy way out" in the academy; something that was useful in the long run but didn't require any strenuous amount of effort to achieve successfully.

On the other hand…she'd never been very taken with Sakura either…healer or no healer.

Iruka appeared not to have noticed the tense exchange. "All right." He nodded at Sakura to follow Senko back down the halls.

* * *

Elsewhere among the rich buildings and marble-paved roads of the ophanin sanctuary, Riaru was doing exactly as Iruka-otousan had instructed; paying attention to the meeting and not falling asleep. It would not look good to fall asleep in front of the high-born demons.

_What are they talking about again?_ Riaru blinked as several of the elder ophanin stood up. _I know they were talking about my status here…but…I think I lost track after that._

Even here there were levels of strength and society, except it was only sectioned off into two: the high-born elite and the normal class. There was not much difference between the two levels except that there were fewer high-born, and those that were among the high-born were the ones who controlled much of the actions in the demon race. High-born elite gained their status by two ways: hard work moving through the ranks or familial ties. Being friends with another high-born did nothing to earn the privilege and the class _could_ be taken away whenever the council saw fit. She figured it was much more complicated than simple insubordinate action.

Despite the rumors circulating about her being a useless ophan and being abandoned by her own parents during the last battle, she'd struggled to reach the spot of elite anyway. It was now being decided whether to accept her into the privileged fold.

_It's always been a struggle to be accepted. Feared among the humans and pitied by my own kind…I don't belong anywhere._

It didn't help she was the youngest ophan present at the meeting…well, her and Seiya Sekai; one of the trusted messengers and assistants to the leader of the ophanin Tsunade. She could see her at her usual spot: standing behind Tsunade's chair with a binder of documents tucked under one arm. Her hair was a much lighter, mistier shade of green than Riaru's and she was fairer of complexion, a paleness that nearly rivaled that of Sasuke Uchiha. She was also a full head taller than Riaru…and beautiful. No one could deny _that_ blessed trait of the ophanin race.

Despite being only twenty, Seiya was a demon with a strong head for diplomacy. There were some of those in the council of ophanin who had not exactly approved of Tsunade's choice of personal assistant being that Seiya was extremely young and not wholly experienced. Then again…not many in the council approved of Tsunade's choices anyway.

"Riaru?" Seiya had appeared by her side. She was holding out a scroll with finely etched calligraphy on it. "This is from Tsunade-sama. She specifically instructed that I deliver this to you personally."

"Ah…uh…thank you Seiya-san," the blue-eyed ophan replied. _That's weird. I got a letter from Tsunade-sama herself._

Seiya tilted her head to one side. "How are things with you and Naruto-kun?" Unlike most of the ophanin, her politeness towards the boy was not feigned. It helped that she didn't know of him as well as the council did.

Riaru had the strongest urge to tell her the truth; that things were never fine in Fire Country with her and Naruto wandering around. But…Seiya didn't have to know. She was only curious. "They're okay…could be better Seiya-san…but okay."

The ophan messenger laughed and shook her head. "So formal. Just call me 'Sei' like everyone else does okay? Oh and please, you don't have to add the honorific. Really. It makes me sound old."

"Okay Seiya-sa—I mean, Sei." _Wow, that's a lot easier._

Seiya smiled brightly, her lavender eyes twinkling like twin amethysts. "Ja Riaru." She flew off in a swirl of brilliant aqua feathers flecked with white.

Shifting her own small white wings, Riaru broke open the seal binding the scroll and unrolled it. _Hmm…according to this, I'll soon be able to hide my wings completely so they no longer have to stick out visibly for all to see. That's a plus. I can actually pretend to be human._ A small smile stretched across her face. _And they've decided to accept me as a high-born…_ She sighed. _Iruka-otousan and Naruto will be proud._

Then she noticed the message near the end of the scroll. _"When Naruto reaches his eighteenth birthday, I would like for him to come up here. There is some information that concerns him."_

Riaru frowned. _Here? Humans are rarely summoned by the ophanin._

There was one last sentence sketched across the bottom of the scroll in Tsunade's script: _You are free to give Iruka this information as well…but no one else._

* * *

"So what's going on?" Sakura asked for the fifth time as she followed Senko down the academy halls. Her bright green eyes gazed warily at the slayer.

Senko did not reply, only picked up the pace of her walking. Sakura huffed and ran up until she was beside the black-haired girl. "Are you ignoring me?"

"What does it look like?" Senko glanced at her with her fire-colored eyes. "Waste of breath."

The cool reply was enough for most girls to back off, but Sakura was not like most girls. Healer she was, but feeble she was not. "Well sorry if I'm not good enough to hold a conversation with," she muttered. _You don't have to be so bitchy Senko!_

At that, Senko gave her a smirk and a shake of the head. "Haruno, I don't find _most_ people good enough to hold a conversation with. Just count yourself as one of the flock."

_I don't get it._ Sakura stared straight ahead. _Does she hate me or something? No…this is just Senko's nature. But…sheesh, she's almost as bad as Chosun was when he was still here._

Scratch that; they were nothing alike. Chosun Okami had been more of a lone wolf; serious and chilly. Senko was fire and brimstone packed into the female form. At least Chosun had been polite when the situation called for it.

"We're here."

"Eh?" Sakura looked around. She was in a huge room with slanted skylights and a floor covered with eight-square tatami mats. A board with pegs for holding satchels and scabbards ran along one end of the room. Practice dummies were set up against another wall, which contained a small cut-in door for concealed weapons. _Oh…the soon-to-be slayers training ground._ She stared at the _shoji_ screen doors at the far end of the room, wondering how they'd managed to stay intact with _these_ students.

"Yo Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved to her from the end of the group in the center. He smiled gleefully, eyes scrunched up in obvious enthusiasm.

Sakura smiled back uneasily. She'd decided a long time ago that Naruto was an idiot and she was the unfortunate recipient of his affections. Not that it wasn't flattering to her feminine pride, but Sakura preferred it if he would keep that blatant show to a minimum. But after going through this sort of routine for nearly seven years, she was used to him.

_He's annoying…but he's not as horrible as everyone makes him out to be._

Deciding to oblige the blonde warrior for today, she waved back in greeting and shifted her attention to the rest of the group. She blushed lightly, noticing that Sasuke was among the boys. She waved at him as well. He was staring at the tatami mats, apparently ignoring everyone.

Senko noticed the blush—and snorted. _Everybody…geez!_ She waved a hand over to Kakashi. "Oi Sensei! I got Sakura Haruno!"

The masked slayer nodded. "Thank you Senko." He grinned (or so it looked) and beckoned for Sakura to come over to where he was. "Sakura, we need your healing skills here because well…one of the newbie warriors performed the wrong spell to ignite his sword. Instead he well…you get the picture."

The pink-haired girl stared at the semi-charred boy across from her. She sighed but Inner Sakura suppressed an amused grin at the sight. "Fine."

* * *

"Concentrate on your inner essence. Let it work its way through the network of your nerves…concentrate it into the palms of your hands…the soles of your feet…the cores of your mind…"

"Sensei, we've been doing this for an _hour_ now!"

"Do you wish to have a profession as a whining brat or a capable sage? _Concentrate!_ "

Konoha Academy had many instructors in the three beginner specialized classes as well as six select Masters for the second upgrades: sage, druid, slayer, hunter, paragon, and monk. Masters were not inclined to take on teaching the beginner fields unless there were exceptional cases.

Jiraiya, Haru Mikomi, and Shizune Kato were considered higher than the standard six Masters of the academy. All three were at the top levels of the three beginning classes and would only guide aspiring students on the path, not directly train every single step of the way.

The instructors of Konoha Academy were like incredibly strict parents. They lectured, scolded, praised, and taught their subjects with an equal mix of impassiveness and understanding. It took a great deal of resilience and forgoing of pride to earn the treatment of an equal in some of the teachers' minds.

To Neji Hyuuga though, there was no getting around the fact that _his_ magical training sensei _was_ family. His uncle as a matter of fact.

Hiashi Hyuuga was one of the strongest sages in the city and definitely fit the title of Sage Master. Many believed he could have attempted druidism had Anko Mitarashi not beaten him in that department. He hadn't been bitter about declining the position of delving into dark magic. The Hyuuga clan had a noble reputation to keep after all.

_Of course he can't go easy on me just because I'm his nephew,_ Neji thought as he viewed the sage trainees. _Not that I expected him to anyhow._

He had already passed his final exam precisely seven months ago and was only here in the academy to pursue further study as a sage. His uncle, somewhat impressed, had agreed to train him in some of the more difficult spells and manipulations. Hence the reason why he was here observing possible future disciples in the craft.

"All right. That's enough for now."

Several of the mages collapsed and panted with the exertion of maintaining the aura flow for so long. The more experienced ones showed no signs of exhaustion.

Hiashi folded his arms into the sleeves of his long dark robe. "As mages, you should have been able to master the following elements: _sui_ (water), _fuu_ (wind), _ka_ (fire), and _do_ (earth). In order to become a proper sage, you must learn the basics of their alternate physical properties: _hyo_ (ice), _moku_ (wood), and _rai_ (thunder and lightning) before handling any sort of _pho_ (light) energy." Pale eyes traveled over the students. "So far you have only gone as far as _hyo_. Most of you have successfully managed to create ice and even those of you who have not seem to have some handle on it."

He glanced at Neji. "In this lesson you will be paired with another mage in order to practice manipulating the element. We will start with jagged knives and work our way to mirrors. My nephew here will demonstrate."

Neji sighed and moved to the front of the class, rolling up the sleeves of his own long white robe. A few of the female sage trainees waved at him, giggling. He rolled his pale eyes and pressed both palms together as if he were praying. A curl of silvery white aura drifted around him, invisible to everyone except him. The room temperature seemed to drop dramatically.

_"Hyoton…"_ Neji whispered, a faint echo accompanying his voice. _"Kunai…"_

The magical aura sharpened and twisted itself into a fine array of crystalline knives. They hovered around Neji's body, sharp points aimed at the ground.

"Sugoi!" One of the students exclaimed admiringly. Neji allowed his lip to curl a bit.

Hiashi nodded and dispelled the magic with a swipe of his robed hand. "That is what you will be learning today. If you're lucky, you'll be able to establish _half_ of one kunai by today." The words were harsh but truthful. "Now begin channeling your aura again…then let your mind's eye see ice."

Seeing that he was no longer needed, Neji retreated to a corner to watch the mages' attempts. It would have been much more interesting if he had someone to practice with. Not that he needed a companion for conversation; he preferred the quiet. Still…he wasn't going to get any better by just standing here and _observing_ the sage trainees.

_I can already find out what's wrong with their techniques in the first two minutes._

"Enjoying yourself Hyuuga?"

Neji focused his unblinking pale eyes on Shino Aburame, a respected druid. Apparently, he had just entered the trainee room.

"Quite."

"Hmmm really," the mysterious boy commented. He jerked his head towards the door. "If you're bored, I'm going to practice some spells before heading off to Anko-sensei's class. You're free to join me."

He turned his back and left through the door. Neji glanced at the sage trainees and then at Shino's retreating back. An opportunity like this was rare.

He took off after him.

* * *

Naruto watched as Sakura slowly moved her healing hands away from the once-scorched boy. It always impressed him how she could remain patient enough to let the skin slowly repair itself. That sort of talent he just didn't seem to have.

The blond was so focused on what Sakura was doing that he didn't heard Kakashi's next instructions. Not until Senko jabbed her elbow into his side.

"Ow! What?"

"Pay attention Uzumaki," the girl replied fiercely. "Kakashi-sensei's chosen your sparring partner."

"And who is it? You?"

A cold voice cut through before Senko could answer. "No baka. It's me."

How Sasuke had managed to sneak up to the pair without them noticing was beyond Naruto's knowledge. _Nobody can be_ that _silent in this classroom._ He glared at the Uchiha. "You?"

"If you were paying attention, you would have heard that," Sasuke said smoothly. A smirk was on his face.

Naruto growled and turned away from the smirking boy. He met up with an equally smirking Senko. "What?"

"I suggested to Kakashi-sensei that you two should spar together again," she said. Ignoring the sputters coming from Naruto's mouth, she added, "You're forever acting like dogs at a pissing contest so why don't you just put up and show your skills? Believe me, all that misplaced aggression has to go _somewhere._ If your training with Jiraiya-sama has taught you anything at all that is."

Senko _would_ be the one to do this to him. Naruto clenched his hands. Okay, so she was Riaru's friend…but she never hesitated to screw around with him when given the chance.

"If I was looking for a place to vent out my misplaced _aggression_ , I could think of someplace _better_ ," he commented with a smirk of his own. _Two can play this game._

The fiery girl snorted and turned away. "Up yours Uzumaki."

Chuckling, Naruto turned back to face the silent Sasuke. The boy was blinking rapidly and shaking his head. _Eh? Is he acting sleepy again?_ "What's wrong teme?"

At the familiar name, Sasuke snapped out of his temporary stupor. The faint shadows under his eyes looked more obvious. "Nothing," he snapped and, before Naruto could pester him any further, pulled out his practice katana. The blade was dull in order to prevent it from doing actual harm to anyone. "Let's get this over with."

"What's the rush? We got the rest of the class time."

Sasuke's cold eyes gave away nothing. "Some things…are more important to me than sparring with you today."

_Oh he's not getting out of an explanation this time._ "Okay…but how about we make a little wager."

Sasuke frowned. "What?"

"Your attitude is really starting to annoy me today teme. You're acting like something's jammed up your ass in addition to the standard stick." It was subtle but Naruto relished in the disgusted expression on Sasuke's face after _that_ little comment. The bastard wasn't totally immune to everything. "So here's what I want. If _I_ win, you tell what the hell's wrong with you. And if _you_ win, then I'll stop pestering you about it."

"Doesn't sound like much of a winning situation to me," Sasuke grumbled.

Naruto sighed. "And…I won't bother you about anything for the rest of the day. But lemme lay one rule down: _no_ magic from your mage training." _Being a warrior and a mage is cheap._

_As long as the idiot leaves me alone…_ The Uchiha slowly nodded. He could still use the minimal magic-based techniques suited for warriors. "Fine." Without another word, he rushed at Naruto with the sword.

"HEY!" The blond dodged the blade. "Couldn't you wait? Nobody else has started yet!"

"You were wasting too much time talking dobe," Sasuke responded bluntly. He spun around, sword swinging. "Don't think an actual enemy is going to wait around for you to finish."

_Asshole._ Naruto dodged the blade again, yanking out his own in one fluid movement. The two swords met with a resounding _clash!_

Sasuke smirked and pulled away from the blond. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Not even close," Naruto replied. _Hmm…probably shouldn't try that new move Ero-Sennin taught me. I don't think any of the girls would appreciate it if I accidentally set "His Royal Assness" on fire._

So instead, he tried another move that he'd been perfecting on his own during his spare time. _"Kage Bunshin!"_ Channeling most of his energy into his center, he unleashed four look-alikes on either side of him. The technique wasn't perfect yet, but as he'd been teaching himself it was a pretty good first effort. Because he was slow at grasping even the simplest magic given to warriors, Ero-Sennin encouraged him to use it to make up for lost time.

Sasuke's onyx eyes widened slightly. _When did the dobe learn_ that? He'd never seen that move used before in class even though he'd managed to come across it in his readings.

_Come to think of it…isn't it forbidden?_

All five Narutos smirked at him, katanas in hand. "Not so confident now are ya Sasuke?" they chorused. They charged at him with lightning speed, their swords shimmering.

Quickly getting over his initial surprise, Sasuke smirked. _He's not the only one with tricks up his sleeve._ Closing his eyes, he reached out with his magical aura to detect for the sounds of Naruto and his clones running lightly across the tatami mats. Naruto may have said to not use any magic from his sage classes, but… _there!_ Sasuke shot out with his sword and struck down two clones. _BAMF!_ They disappeared in puffs of smoke. Using magical aura to feel the surroundings for him was a trick he'd picked up by himself. Perfectly acceptable for their match.

"Nice try dobe."

Naruto frowned and skidded back away from the dancing katana. So Sasuke didn't have to seek out the real him as long as he was able to sense where the speed was coming from. _Not bad teme._

Sakura looked up from healing the burned boy. She'd nearly finished toning down the red welts on his skin. _Naruto…Sasuke-kun?_

Senko also looked up from her spar with a brunette named Tenten. _Well this is interesting. I actually can't tell who's going to win._

Their swords collided again and again as each boy fought to gain the upper hand in the fight. Just when it seemed like Sasuke had gotten the better of Naruto, the blond boy managed to pull a stunt like the clones to even up the round again. No matter when they accidentally bumped into another classmate; they wouldn't feel it. The practice dummies would serve as obstacles (should they get to that part of the room) and the walls as protection. And the cycle would continue.

Despite himself, Sasuke was slightly impressed with the way the fight was playing out. Naruto had certainly improved from his former beginner days when he set things on fire by accident.

Unless…he _still_ set things on fire by accident. Sasuke didn't know as Jiraiya, the Myrmidon Master, was the one responsible for some of Naruto's private training. He honestly didn't know _why_ the old man singled out Naruto from the pack for private training anyway.

_And I don't care either._

Naruto landed a few feet away from the brunette, eyes narrowed in concentration. _He's gotten better since the last time we'd gone against each other. I wonder what he's been practicing during those extra training sessions._

By now the class was far more interested in the duel between the two infamous rivals than in their own training sessions. They'd stopped practicing and were silently watching the pair trade blows and sword slices. Yet Naruto and Sasuke ignored them, locked in their own world where they only saw each other.

It was like an intricate dance.

Sasuke twisted his body around, sweeping his leg under Naruto's to make him lose balance. The blond's back hit the floor but he immediately scissored his legs in the air to propel him to his feet again, delivering a well-placed kick to Sasuke's chest. The brunette grimaced.

_Heh._ Naruto swiped with his sword again. _CLANG!_ It connected with Sasuke's blade once more. _CLINK!_ They moved, Naruto successfully forcing Sasuke to move backwards. Everyone else scattered out of the way.

"You're getting sloppy Sasuke-teme."

Sasuke smirked. "I don't think so." Then he was gone.

_What the…hell?_ Naruto glanced around warily. _Damn it…where is he?_

"Over here."

_WHAP!_

Naruto barely had time to think before he was seeing stars. Sasuke had appeared behind him and had delivered a punch to the side of his head. _Ow!_ He turned to glare at the Uchiha, but the boy was gone again. _Shit! Where is he…wait a minute._ His blue eyes barely caught the soft trickle of dust from above. _Gotcha!_

He leaped out of the way before Sasuke could kick him, throwing a few powder balls hidden in his orange jacket to distract the Uchiha. As Sasuke shook his head from the confusion, Naruto landed a spiral kick at his side, sending the other boy to the mats. "You're gonna have to do better than that!" he crowed.

"Hn."

Their swords collided yet again, their faces nearly a hand's breadth apart. Neither was willing to call it quits. Everybody in the room could feel the intensity curling in the air.

Sasuke willed himself not to display the desperation in his eyes. He _really_ needed to end this pointless drivel and get out of here. It was going on for much too long. Why wasn't Kakashi doing anything?

He scanned the room quickly, finally finding their masked sensei leaning against the wall with the pegs. One hand was comfortably thumbing through that stupid perverted book he always carried, but his visible eye was on the match.

"You're getting better…dobe."

"Will you ever _quit_ calling me that! I'm NOT a dobe!"

"That's not the impression I get."

_Hurry up already! I_ really _need to get out of here._

Naruto glared, blue eyes glittering dangerously. "Fuck you Uchiha."

"Tch." Sasuke suddenly smirked devilishly. "You're not my type."

_HUH!_ Naruto's jaw dropped making him look hilariously idiotic (to Sasuke) and several years younger (still to Sasuke). Taking in the blond's temporary state of shock, the raven-haired boy shoved forward with his sword, knocking Naruto's blade away and the blond to the ground.

Sasuke hovered over the downed teen with his infamous smirk still playing across his features. His dark eyes glinted with sadistic amusement. Pale lips formed the words: "I win."

Naruto glared up at him from his position. Anger radiated throughout his body but not as much as the feeling of humiliation. Again Sasuke had foiled him. _Again_ he'd let the Uchiha bastard get under his skin. _Again_ the brunette had won.

_I…_ hate _…you._

Some of their classmates snickered while a few actually clapped for the intense battle. Still others, namely the girls, gazed at Sasuke in a mixture of awe and admiration. Sakura felt torn between joining them and casting a sympathetic smile to Naruto.

_He did try._

Sasuke sighed and stretched a hand out at Naruto. The blond was still glaring at him, no doubt nursing wounded pride. "Need a hand?"

The cerulean eyes darkened and Naruto swiftly knocked Sasuke's hand away. He didn't _want_ the bastard's help!

The Uchiha flinched although he kept his impassive mask on. "Tch. Suit yourself…dobe." He turned around and retreated to the back of the room, not even staying to watch Naruto get up.

_Bakayarou._

Naruto was looking quite murderous by now so Kakashi wisely decided to intervene before he'd leap for Sasuke's throat. This was a mess he did not want to clean up _._ "All right everyone, you've had your entertainment. Back to sparring." Over the grumbling noise and the sound of blows being traded back and forth, he called over to Naruto. "Naruto, I'm pairing you up with Senko on this one. Sasuke…"

But the broody teen had mysteriously vanished from the room.

"Uh…right." Kakashi shook his head. "I'll be right back. Sakura, if you don't mind…can you keep an eye on everyone until I return?" The girl seemed reliable enough. "Try not to let anyone kill each other."

Sakura nodded uncertainly, her green eyes searching for a certain stoic boy. _Sasuke-kun?_

Senko and Naruto both watched Kakashi depart from the room before turning to face each other. They bowed respectfully and retreated a few feet away to prepare their stances, dropping their practice swords. They'd wordlessly agreed to work on physical hand-to-hand this time around.

"You okay Uzumaki?" the older girl asked. She felt somewhat guilty about how the blond was acting. _Didn't expect it to end up like that. But…they're Naruto and Sasuke. Unpredictable._

"M'fine." Naruto muttered darkly. Ah well…at least there was one perk in his loss to Sasuke. He wouldn't have to bother seeing _him_ for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Sasuke!"

The young man halted in his trek down the hall, onyx eyes trained on the swirls of grain in the wood floor. _Kakashi._

Said Slayer Master had indeed found him (curse his detecting skills) and caught up before he could disappear out the academy doors. Kakashi's single visible eye gazed down at him. "Where are you heading off to in such a hurry?"

Sasuke settled for his trademark glare. "None of your business."

"Technically since you're my student, I'm obliged to make it my business." Kakashi seemed to be smiling. "Especially if you're leaving class early."

_Damn him._ Sasuke looked away. "Hn."

"That's not an answer," said Kakashi, still abnormally cheerful behind his mask. Sasuke noticed with some relief that his traditional Icha Icha Paradise was out of sight. "Why would you suddenly have a need to leave class early? I could be teaching some _new_ technique. And if you leave—" he lowered his voice confidingly. "—Naruto would know it but not _you._ "

Now to survey the effects of his words on the young Uchiha.

Sasuke scowled, his eyes almost giving away his slight hurt and anger. _Emotions are stupid._ He did not look up at Kakashi. "I don't _care_ if the moron learns a new trick or not. Today…" he swallowed. "Today…is different."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes (only one was noticeable). Despite the frozen mask Sasuke kept up for appearance sake, he excelled at reading faces. He noted the faint tracings of shadow lining the boy's obsidian eyes and his bangs seemed to purposefully obscure his pale face. Obviously, Sasuke was physically exhausted.

_I wonder…_

What sort of important thing would Sasuke be attending to today that had more significance than training? And was it solely responsible for making the mage warrior tired?

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Sorry." Kakashi glanced at him. "I was just thinking." He cocked his head, contemplating asking the boy again. But he doubted he would get anything straight since Sasuke's answers were pretty evasive.

_Cassandra._

Yes, it seemed the easiest way to obtain answers was from Sasuke's housemate. He was pretty sure that Cassandra was aware of Sasuke's odd tendencies being as she had to live with the broody teen. But would she really willingly answer?

"I'll let you go Sasuke…just so long as you don't slack off," said Kakashi with another smile. "Oh, and try not to let anyone see you." His eye crinkled.

Sasuke fought the urge to reveal his surprise. _He's letting me leave?_ Fixing the emotionless mask, he bowed quickly. "Right. Thanks sensei." He turned on his heel and departed down the hall, black cloak swirling behind him.

Kakashi sighed and traveled back to his respective class. Seeking out Cassandra would have to wait...if he even bothered to approach her at all.

* * *

Cassandra sighed and rubbed her eyes. What did Anko say about potency again? _Damn, I'm so tired._

It wasn't exactly her fault that she was physically drained. It was that time of the year when Sasuke began having his standard nightmares. Though she'd given up on asking him about them (when he kept denying their existence), the idea of questioning was still constant on her mind. After all, his dreams did keep her up at random intervals in the night.

Okay so maybe practicing magic with Neji Hyuuga today hadn't been the most brilliant of moves when she was already exhausted. Neji was a tough opponent when it came to sparring. She'd never been able to beat him when it came to wind elements.

She sighed, dimly hearing the spell Anko was instructing the druids and studying archsages to learn. Last night had been the clincher…but on the other hand…

Last night she had finally managed to drag the reasons behind his nightmares out of him.

***Flashback***

" _Sasuke! Sasuke, wake up!"_

_He continued to thrash around, eyes screwed shut in pain. Hands found sheets beside him and fisted them, tearing at them._

_SLAP!_

_"SASUKE!"_

_"AGH!" He opened his eyes, body rigid and magical aura flaring to attack. The person who'd hit him stumbled back a few feet. A painful throb occurred somewhere on his right cheek. "What…the…hell?" He immediately sat up and grabbed the stumbling "attacker". His other hand pulled out the hidden kunai beneath his pillow._

_Cassandra gazed down at him with widened eyes slightly frightened. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded, wrenching his hand away from her nightgown. She pressed a palm against her heart in hopes of stilling her racing pulse. "It's_ me _you psychotic dolt! What were you trying to do? Kill me?"_

_Sasuke narrowed his eyes and slowly placed the kunai back under his pillow. The tiniest flickers of embarrassment and annoyance shone through his dark eyes. "What are you doing in here Cassandra?"_

_"It's not my fault," the sage responded grumpily. She crossed her arms. "Your nightmare woke me."_ He _knows_ that I can be a light sleeper when I want to be.

_The Uchiha mumbled something under his breath that she took to be an insult. He sighed and ran a hand through his sleep-tousled raven hair (something that most girls would die to see). "I…sorry," he said shortly. Dark eyes glittered dangerously. "You can go back to bed now. I'll be fine."_

_Cassandra stared down at him. For a minute she debated whether or not to adhere to his request, but stubbornness won._ I am getting sick of this. _"No."_

_Her companion glanced up sharply. "Don't make me apologize again."_

_"No." She was asking for it now, but she didn't care. Her slender hands came up and glided through the air. "Mokuton." She quickly spun her wrists a little._

_Before Sasuke could comprehend_ which _spell the sage used, long tree branches materialized out of nowhere and wrapped around his wrists, pinning him down to the bed._

_"The HELL!"_

_His ebony eyes swirled and blended into blood-red. Cassandra narrowed her own irises. It'd been a very long time since she'd seen the Sharingan, the legacy of the Uchiha warriors, reflected at her. And it certainly hadn_ ' _t been Sasuke who_ ' _d last shown her what it was, but his emotionless older brother._

" _Cassandra…" Sasuke growled warningly. He had never felt an urge to attack his housemate before but this…_

" _Urusai!" the older girl snapped. She hoisted herself up onto the bed beside the mage warrior, her face a mask of annoyance. "Just…shut up and listen to me for Kami's sake."_

_She poked his navy shirt. Indigo orbs dared him to move._

_Sasuke glared back._

_"I've had enough Sasuke Uchiha," she said firmly. Her face was only about a few inches away from his. Minty breath fluttered over his lips. "How long has this been going on? Four years? Almost five now? And you_ still _refuse to say that something is seriously WRONG with you!" She drew back, arms crossed. "I've tried to ignore everything and just work with this situation but…I can't stand it anymore."_

_"What do you_ want _from me Mikomi?" he asked mockingly. "My 'eternal love and devotion'?"_

_Cassandra bristled._ So he thinks that I'm just another one of his fan girls hoping to get into his pants does he? _"Don't say things that you'll never mean," she muttered. She looked away. "It's just…Sasuke…do you trust me?"_

_"What?"_

_"I was supposed to be married to your brother," she went on as if the youngest Uchiha were no longer there. Her irritated voice was now sad. "And after…after what happened…when they classified us as being both potential housemates…I thought you'd realize that I'm the only person here that had any real contact to you and your family. We_ were _friends once. I thought you'd realize…I just want you to treat me as such." She tossed him a baleful glare. "You know how I act around you Uchiha. You have no right to place me in the same slot as your admirers simply because I'm a_ girl. _"_

_Sasuke could do nothing except stare._

_Cassandra sighed and, with a flick of her hand, released the spell binding the dark-haired teen to the bed. He rubbed his wrists, still staring. "I know enough that…you sometimes call out to Itachi in the night and sometimes you tell him to stop doing something." These were frequent and she remembered trying to shut her ears from the sounds. Sasuke hadn't sounded like his cold monotone self, but like…a frightened child. "I never wanted to say anything because you'd deny it._ Don't _please." She halted Sasuke's retort. "You also occasionally…get violent. That wasn't…the first time…your magical aura…"_

_"I hurt you?" Sasuke demanded slowly, his insides tightening with guilt. Coldhearted he was, but if he had hurt his housemate simply because she was in the room…_

_"Of course you didn't!" she responded quickly and almost acidly. But the mage warrior was watching her body language and it told him the truth._

I hurt her.

_Damn but he felt even guiltier now. He really was a bastard._

_"Listen Sasuke, I just want you to know that I don't expect you to tell me_ really _what happened that night when you were found as the only living Uchiha. I just want you to know that…I want you to stop treating me like a foreign object and start…treating me like a person." She slipped off the bed and stood up. It was getting chilly in his room. "Okay?"_

No promises on that one.

_Cassandra was about to slip off to her room in silence, but she felt a small pressure on her arm._ Eh? _She glanced down to notice a slender pale hand wrapped around her wrist._

_"Sasuke…"_

_"Baka," the young genius whispered, gripping her arm and pulling her until she was sitting on the dark bedspread. He sat up, removing his hand. "You're such an idiot."_

_Naruto would have hit him for that. Cassandra simply took it in stride._

_"Why?" Sasuke demanded harshly. His eyes were still tinged with the red of his family; his birthright. Cassandra refused to flinch. "Why do you want to know?"_

What could you possibly gain from this knowledge?

_"Why?" repeated Cassandra. Silently, she bumped her own pale hand against his. "Because…I'll know…that I'm not like_ them. _"_

I'll know you don't think of me as a groupie. I'll know you don't see me as just another worthless human of Konoha. I'll know you trust me…with something. And maybe I _am_ an idiot.

_She waited for him to speak again. She had waited for an answer for nearly five years. Maybe all she had to do was wait a little more._

_"But if you don't want to-"_

_Sasuke finally found the will to speak again._

_"Did you love my brother?"_

What kind of a question is that? _"Sasuke…I was only eight years old when I first heard of the betrothal. But…if you're asking if I would have grown to love Ita…him…" She noticed the dark look in his eyes when she was about to mention the elder Uchiha's name. "No. I don't know. I doubt it."_

_"Because…" Sasuke's eyes were narrow with contained anger. "It was him._ He _killed them."_

_Silence._

_"…what?"_

_"He wiped out my clan," the genius snapped, glancing at the wall. Pain radiated through his magical aura, making her shudder. "You're supposed to be smart Mikomi. Put the words together."_

Itachi… _Itachi_ …murdered the Uchihas? _Cassandra could feel horror searing through her body._ He killed…every single one of them? _She stared at Sasuke, open-mouthed._ How…how could…impossible!

_"It's not impossible," Sasuke whispered and Cassandra gaped at him. She hadn't realized she'd voiced her thoughts out loud. "He killed them…every single one of them…and you know what_ I _did? I_ watched. _" He laughed bitterly and the female brunette squeezed her hands. She'd give anything to keep that sound from his voice. "I fucking watched…like the pathetic weakling I was."_

Kami-sama…

_"You know he was always so perfect. He had so much power and so much potential," the Uchiha recited dully. His obsidian eyes burned with past loathing and pain. "He was destined for greatness…destined to bring glory and honor to the Uchiha name. He would even link together with another family of powerful blood: yours._

" _Even how he killed them…it was perfect down to the last detail. Nothing out of the lines." Sasuke gripped the sheets. "He showed me how he did it…he made me experience…made me_ feel _their deaths…and he told me…I wasn't_ worth _killing. You get it? He only wanted to see if he could do it…if he could actually bring himself to kill off his only family. And I realized…I wanted to prove to him that I would get stronger…and avenge my clan."_

_His eyes were now the blood-red of the Sharingan with the spinning whorls shaped like teardrops near the center iris._

_"Being the last Uchiha…everyone thinks it's some kind of honor. There's no honor in that kind of name," he spat bitterly. "No honor at all."_

_Cassandra reached out for his clenched hands, then thought better of it and laid her hand on the sheets._ I…I didn't know. _She didn't cry but her heart twisted painfully._ Kami…Sasuke, why didn't you… _She suddenly felt a sick swoop of anger towards Itachi._ How dare he…how could he even _live_ with something like that? He was supposed to be my husband…

_She suddenly felt very cold._ He was supposed to be… _my_ husband.

_It was a sickening revelation._

_But Sasuke was sharing his past with her now and she found that slightly comforting. Horrifying…but comforting…_

_And she suddenly felt the urge to shake him and bring back the smiling Sasuke of long ago. She longed to find Itachi and hurt him for turning his little brother into this…this revenge-obsessed stranger._

What kind of hell would that be? _she wondered to herself._ To watch your brother slaughter your family in front of your eyes? And all you do is watch?

_Another chill swirled through the room, curling against the ties of her nightgown. How Sasuke, with his short sleeves, didn't seem to feel anything confused her. It was like he welcomed the cold into these walls._

_"So that's the sad pathetic story you were dying to hear," Sasuke finished sarcastically. "Satisfied?"_

_A pause._

_"…yeah." Cassandra nodded slowly. She shut her eyes. "Sasuke…I…" He wouldn't want pity. Sasuke did_ not _strike her as someone who accepted sympathy readily. "Thank you for trusting me."_

_"I don't really trust you Cassandra." His voice was low and the eyes were once more emotionless obsidian. "But…you wanted to know…so…whatever." He glanced away, settling back against the sheets. He was expecting her to leave._

I didn't ask for this kind of life. I didn't ask for any of it.

_Cassandra almost felt like honoring the younger boy's request tonight. She had gotten her answer after all._

_But she did want to do one more thing; something that required the teen's permission._

_"Ne…Sasuke?"_

_"What?"_

_"May I…hold you?"_

_He sat up quickly, dark eyes for once betraying his surprise. Cassandra stared back calmly, betraying no emotion. She was a sage, strong and powerful. If Sasuke wanted to attack her…well, she'd at least give him a hard time._

Don't fight me.

_Sasuke closed his eyes (probably to prevent himself from carrying out his murderous intents). "Why?"_

_Human contact. He'd never permitted it. To crave human contact was a weakness._

_He opened his eyes again to find the girl still not showing any emotion. However, there was the slight shake of her arm that indicated her anxiety._

_"Just…please…let me hold you."_

For both of our sakes. Even if you say you don't need it. I know _I_ need it.

_Sasuke stared for a few more minutes with no expression. He sighed and then nestled back into the sheets._

_"Hn."_

_It was a noise of consent._

_So Cassandra lay down beside Sasuke and draped one arm loosely around his lithe but powerful frame. She kept her eyes trained on his, her other hand brushing aside wisps of dark hair. Her expression was blank but her deep blue eyes glimmered as she exhaled. Cool breath gusted against his bare neck as she adjusted her breath to the position she was in. Her fingers continued to brush against his hair and the foreign feeling diminished._

_He had forgotten what it was like to be held. Not glomped or squeezed or groped. Just…hugged._

_"Thank you."_

_She did not let go…and he had no more dreams._

***End Flashback***

Cassandra frowned and passed one hand over the scroll she was perusing, black calligraphy appearing on the parchment. It had disturbed her how cold Sasuke had felt in her arms the night before. He was warm enough to show that he was still a living, breathing human, but the overall temperature of his body was still below normal standards.

She shook her head. It could have just been the temperature of the Uchiha manor. The house was not very warm on its own. Those wide halls and empty cheerless rooms only added to the depressing atmosphere.

_But it felt…nice to hold him._ She sighed and continued to let her hand travel over the scroll. A smirk reached her features at the thought of having done something most girls in the city would have died to do.

_Just shows how obsessed this place is about him._

Cassandra reassured herself that she did not have such obsessions. Sasuke was important to her, but whatever she felt for him had been determined years ago. No matter how much of an emo bastard the boy could be.

_Hn. Emo. What a funny word._

"I hope you're actually planning on reading that thing Mikomi. Waving your hand around isn't gonna conjure a spell if you don't know what you're doing."

Anko stood beside her table, a small smirk on her lips. Her brown eyes were focused on the young girl's pale hands, mischief and dark power written in their depths.

"Uh…yes Sensei," said Cassandra, inwardly cursing herself for being inattentive. Not getting much sleep and spending the day thinking about her brooding housemate did that.

_What was I reading again?_

It came as no surprise to the sage that dark magic was much more difficult to learn than light or anima magic. Even though anima magic was branched off into many different elements (and mastering even _one_ was difficult), the fact that dark magic required an enormous amount of aura, mental, and physical control proved that it surpassed all categories by far. An ordinary, untrained personage would go insane for simply attempting one of the spells.

This was the reason why few mages chose the path of a druid when selection time came around. Most people just couldn't handle the amount of chillingly ominous power flowing through their veins.

Cassandra glanced at her partner Shino. No doubt he already understood the spell on the scroll perfectly. He was presumably much more advanced than she was in this field.

_Sometimes trying to become an archsage is not always worth the hard work…especially when you_ know _there are people better than you. You_ ' _re just begging to be ridiculed._

Shino nudged her. "Mikomi-san…" His deep voice washed over her and she nearly jumped. As the Aburame rarely spoke to her, it was always somewhat of a fright to hear _anything_ from his mouth.

"Uh right." She steeled herself up and scanned the calligraphy. Good thing she'd already looked this particular spell up during the time she'd spent training in Suna. She had nearly mastered it there—with a bit of help from a new friend.

_Maybe I should pay him a visit before exam time hits for Sasuke._ Cassandra checked her smile. _After all…it's not every day you have a friend who's a demon._

* * *

"Naruto!" Senko called out as the blond boy took off through the classroom doors no sooner had Kakashi informed the would-be slayers that they were finished. "Yo Uzumaki! Wait up!"

But the boy had disappeared down the hallway into the sea of students.

_Fuck it._ Senko had no actual desire to pursue the blond other than to apologize for what had happened between him and Sasuke. If Naruto didn't want to hear it, then she wouldn't bother.

It was good that Riaru wasn't around at the moment. She would have immediately flown off to find Naruto and requested Senko's assistance.

"I wonder where Sasuke-kun went." One of the female warriors in the class remarked wistfully.

"He sure tore out of here really fast."

"Maybe he didn't want us to congratulate him on his win." The girl's friend sighed. "So modest."

_Damn, does this entire_ planet _revolve around Sasuke?_ Senko rolled her eyes and walked out the door. Sure, she also thought the brooding boy was hot but at least she was more _discreet_ in her attraction.

"Um…Senko?"

The slayer spun around, her short black hair swinging. "What is it Haruno?"

Sakura bit her lip. "Uh…do you think Naruto's okay? I mean, he and Sasuke-kun _both_ didn't seem too happy. So…since you're Naruto's friend…I think…do you think he's okay?"

The frown that had been on Senko's face softened and now she simply looked blank. "I'm not really _his_ friend but…don't worry about him Haruno. He'll just mope for a while. Best time to leave him alone actually."

"I see." Sakura nodded once, worry still biting at her green eyes. "Well…thank you."

Senko nodded slowly and walked away from the other girl. She sighed as she dodged several people on her way down the hall. A few nearly stepped on her feet. _Sheesh, I should just teleport outside. It's too much of a hassle to walk._

As she eyed the few actual slayers in the academy huddle together in a small group, she shook her head. _Times like this…I really wish Chosun were here. He'd be good company and…_ she glanced outside. Naruto's blond head was nearly out of sight. _He'd usually have some hint on what_ ' _s eating Naruto._

"Konnichiwa Sakura-san! Konnichiwa Senko-san!"

Sakura stiffened at the sound of the cheerful voice while Senko groaned. _Oh great._

A tall boy dressed almost entirely in forest green and with a bowl haircut bounded up to the two girls. His silver protective shoulder pads glinted in the light. He flashed them a brilliant smile, teeth sparkling. "How are you both today?"

"Hey Lee," said Senko wearily. She attempted a weak smile back at the young monk. "We just got out of class…well, _I_ did. Haruno here just participated in it for the last half-hour."

Sakura nodded. "Did you just finish with Gai-sensei?"

Rock Lee nodded and rattled off the many wonderful techniques of the monk he'd learned while under Gai-sensei's teachings. His companions winced but for entirely different reasons.

"Lee, do you have to act like this? It's…kinda embarrassing," whispered Sakura. _People are staring._

"Lee, I can't believe you actually hit the makiwara bare-knuckle thirty times," muttered Senko. "You might have broken your knuckles and you could kiss your career good-bye!"

The boy blushed and glanced down at the floor sheepishly. "Er…I didn't…but I managed to injure my hands. Such is the fate of a monk! I shall work harder until my scars no longer bleed!"

Both girls cringed at the declaration. _Crazy weirdo._

"But…I could use some healing. My hands ache too much to perform the proper spell." His large dark eyes pleaded with Sakura.

Senko smirked. Sakura shot her a baleful glare before smiling at Lee. True, he was about as annoying as Naruto was when it came to winning her affection; but she did like the boy enough when he wasn't acting…well like Lee.

"I'll do it Lee. Show me your hands."

Lee smiled and held out his heavily bandaged hands. A few spots of blood had seeped through the white cloth. Sakura winced at the sight. _He really has been working hard._ She furrowed her brow before passing her hands over his bandages. Cool green aura flowed from her hands onto his, healing and pleasurable. In a few seconds, the aura melded with his skin and healed it.

"Thank you Sakura-san." Lee's smile was dazzling. "Is there anything you would like in return?" His eyes lit up with hope.

Sakura's jaw dropped as Senko snickered. "Oh no. Thank you Lee…but that's fine. I'm okay. It was no problem to heal you." _Anything to stop him from picking up steam._ She backed away. "Well it's getting late. I'll see you all tomorrow!" She took off, pink locks flying behind her along with the scent of cherry blossoms.

The female slayer laughed and patted Lee on the shoulder. "Cheer up buddy. She'll come around one of these days."

_One of these days._

* * *

Well so much for the day turning out to be dull.

Naruto sighed and leaned against the side of the academy building. Students were milling out of the doors, occasionally shooting rude glances at him for "taking up" the wall. He didn't have the initial desire to glare back.

It figured that Sasuke would be the one to ruin at least a _portion_ of the day. Naruto narrowed his eyes and frowned at the ground. It wasn't as if he hadn't beaten Sasuke in a spar before but those were usually smaller ones when only Kakashi would observe them. When it came to the ones surrounded by their fellow peers, Sasuke would nearly always get the upper hand.

He'd been so close to beating the bastard this time…so close. And in front of Sakura…Naruto groaned and shut his eyes. So much for impressing her. If anything, Sasuke had just raised two more notches on her favor meter.

But the tactic the other boy had used today wasn't like his normal ones. It was stupid and dirty and… _cheap._ Since when did Sasuke Uchiha resort to _cheap_ tactics? And since when did Sasuke consider _anything_ more important than training?

_Forget it. I'm not gonna get any answers…deal's a deal anyway._

Naruto glanced up at the cloudless blue sky. Riaru was due back in Konoha any minute. He was a little anxious to know if she'd managed to secure a position as one of the high-born of the ophanin. It was about time that she qualified.

_And if those council demons refuse her_ again, _I'll atrophy them—right down to the last old crustacean._

Cheering up at the mental images, Naruto pushed away from the academy and stepped out into the sunlight. Maybe the ophan was already home and waiting for him and Iruka.

_Seems most likely._

He walked down the paved street, ignoring the dirty looks people gave him from the windows of shops and houses. A few of the elderly shook their heads, apparently too tired to pay attention to him.

"Demon."

_Huh?_ Naruto cast a furtive glance at the shabby store beside him. The dirty word had come from within the darkness of its interior. _Hmph. Coward doesn't wanna say it to my face._ He rolled his eyes and continued down the street.

"Idiot."

"Outcast."

More words, with twice the sting of the hated one, followed his path. These were coupled with cold glares or small snorts of disapproval. Yet he went on with his trek, hiding his turmoil with a sunny mask.

_They don't have to understand me,_ Naruto thought. _Although…why does everybody keep calling me a demon? I'm as human as they can get!_

He was extremely relieved when Iruka's house came into sight. Being the considerate man he was, Iruka had purchased a small house away from the main center of the city, preferring a more secluded space. Half of the decision must have been made on his and Riaru's behalf. Iruka knew how the rest of the citizens of Konoha tended to treat them.

_I'm just glad they don't hate Iruka too. I'd hate to bring shit down on him because they despise me._

Naruto slowly unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Anybody home?"

"In here!"

The voice seemed to be coming from Riaru's bedroom at the very back of the house, near a bathroom and the kitchen. Warily, Naruto carefully set his shoes at the entrance of the house and shut the door before following the voice. For obvious reasons, he was rarely allowed into his housemate's room. She was a _girl_ after all.

Riaru's bedroom door was open, the ophan digging through a pile of boring-looking papers on her wooden desk. Her shrunken white wings were hunched behind her, barely visible under her long green hair.

"What are you doing?"

The ophan turned around, smiling. "Sorry I wasn't waiting for you back at the academy Naruto. The meeting lasted longer than I expected and I had to make sure the garden was okay."

Naruto rolled his eyes. One of Riaru's jobs in the ophanin sanctuary was to maintain the healthy status of its enormous garden. She didn't mind; using her life-giving powers to care for the lush greenery was pleasing but Naruto secretly felt that the other ophanin didn't have to depend on her _all_ the time to keep the garden alive.

Even though he himself had a passion for plants and living things.

"What did the old farts wanna talk to you about?"

"Naruto," Riaru muttered warningly. "The council does not consist of old farts."

The blond shrugged. "They're older than me. So what did they want?"

"Well, I'll be able to hide my wings completely soon," Riaru said brightly. "And…and they finally accepted me as a high-born."

A grin split across Naruto's whiskered face. "That's awesome! About time they realized you belong with the elite."

She smiled and brushed her palm against his arm in a gesture of thanks. "I'm grateful for your approval Naruto-kun. It means…a lot to me." Her throat caught and she turned back around to straighten the papers, hoping the boy hadn't noticed her moment of emotion.

Ophanin were never experts at hiding how they felt.

Naruto, however, _had_ noticed the slight hitch in her voice and her abrupt movement. His stomach tightened. _Acknowledgement means so much to both of us…and usually we're the only ones we have to bestow that simple gift._

"Oh." Riaru turned around again. The sad expression was gone. "There was _one_ thing I found odd." Her perfect brows furrowed. "Tsunade-sama wants you to come to the sanctuary as soon as you turn eighteen. Your birthday's not until October so there's still a few more months to go before that time comes around."

Naruto frowned. _Weird._ "Why?"

"I don't know," the ophan replied. "Apparently she has something she wants to say to you." She took up a brush from her dresser and began to comb the few tangles out of her shining green tresses. "Don't look so suspicious Naruto-kun. It's an honor to speak to Tsunade-sama. _I've_ certainly never been called into her presence before."

"It just strikes me as odd that _your_ demon leader would invite a human like me to the sanctuary." _Especially someone like me._

Riaru shrugged. "You and Iruka-otousan can discuss it over dinner when he gets home from the academy." She resumed brushing her hair, eyeing the blond warrior behind her. For once, the normally talkative teen was silent. "Hey…I never did ask you how your day was. Soooo…how was your day?"

Coming out of his little reverie, Naruto scowled. "Started off boring and ended horribly. Your friend Senko got the 'brilliant' idea of pairing me and Sasuke off in a spar—"

"Oh no."

"—and the bastard pulled of the dumbest stunt. I swear, I was ready to murder him and—"

"That's not very nice Naruto."

"—and he…uh…made a _comment_ that caught me off guard and…" Naruto suddenly turned red and glanced away. Suddenly he didn't feel like telling Riaru exactly what Sasuke had done to emerge as the victor.

Riaru blinked. _He's blushing._ "Go on."

"Uh…and that's it. He beat me— _again!_ " The frown reappeared on the blond's whiskered face. "I swear he takes enjoyment in making me suffer."

"Oh come on Naruto," Riaru muttered, placing the brush back on her dresser. Her green hair glistened. "Sasuke-san isn't out to get you." She paused and then grinned. "He wouldn't waste his time like that."

"HEY!"

The ophan stood up, jabbing him playfully in the elbow. "I'm going to make dinner now. You can come help me…once you cool off." She frowned. "Sasuke-san must have said something _very_ interesting to get you like this."

_Argh._ _She is_ not _going to let that go is she?_ Naruto rolled his eyes and followed her out of the room. "I'll see you in a few minutes. I just want to…visit the cemetery for a little while."

Riaru gave the ghost of a sad little sigh. "Don't tell me you're still going to try and find your family. We pretty much cleared out the cemetery Naruto. They…aren't there."

The blond flinched. He knew it was true; they _had_ searched through the cemetery over the course of their years in Konoha trying to find his parents. But the fact that the Uzumakis weren't there still hurt.

"I know. I'm not going there to look for them anyway. That place is just quiet so it's a nice thinking spot." Naruto strode over to the front door. "See you later."

* * *

"She's late."

Seiya fought the urge to squirm under the elder's withering gaze. "I'm sorry. I-I'm sure since she's very busy so she's running just a little late. She's got a lot of paperwork to handle."

The older ophan snorted and retreated to the carved marble table where several others were seated. There were no windows, but tiny alcoves containing large stands with flowers and water added to the mystical atmosphere. Silver light and the faintest tracings of vapor swept across the round room.

_I wonder what's keeping her_ , thought Seiya, chewing her bottom lip worriedly. _They're bound to know I made up that whole thing about her paperwork._ I'm _the one that handles all of that._ She dug her hands into the folds of her gown. _I really wish Shizune was here._

The sound of laughter outside the room brought all of their attention to the double doors. Seiya grinned nervously. "Er…that must be her right now. And Hatori-sama as well." She had a sneaking suspicion what the pair had done beforehand.

The doors burst open and Tsunade, leader of the ophanin, strode into the room. She was a very beautiful woman, much older than most of the demons in the room though she didn't look it. Long, pale blonde hair curved around equally pale high cheekbones, and silver wings hunched behind her shoulders. Unlike most of the female ophanin her wings were not delicate, but strong with the feathered skin nearly stretched taunt over the bones.

Seiya was pleased that she had at least dressed up for the meeting instead of wearing her usual blue haori and gray pants. Formal wear during important meetings was a sign of decorum and etiquette, and Tsunade tended to brush it off as easily as manners. But she'd appeared today in a long silk dress in different shades of green with a dark red tie holding the front. Individual red leaves were sprinkled around the dress in swirling patterns.

_She really wants to make an impression._

Following Tsunade into the room was Hatori, the cousin of the late previous leader of the ophanin. He'd grown much more serious since Minato's death although he remained genuinely friendly. Unlike Tsunade, he chose not to dress to impress, but the navy blazer worn over his shirt and trousers was adequate enough for this setting. He tugged at the sleeves, drawing attention to its melding with his tanned hands.

"Tsunade-sama!" Seiya hurried over to her side, barely acknowledging the man beside her. "You're very late! The elders were beginning to think—"

"Don't bother Seiya," Tsunade muttered with a small wave of her hand. "I'm pretty sure they can answer for themselves."

One of the high-born ophanin bristled. "And just where were _you_ Tsunade-sama? Leaving us alone with your little assistant?"

Tsunade smirked as she took her seat at the head of the marble table. "I was preoccupied with more important things." She winked at Seiya and Hatori.

The young ophan nearly groaned. _Gambling…again?_

"And just what was more important than this meeting?" The ophan twitched.

"When you're the leader of a bunch of powerful demons, you find a lot of things more important than meetings," Tsunade replied calmly. She propped her chin on one hand. "So let's get this over with. What exactly do you wish to discuss with me?"

The seated high-born exchanged glances before blurting out one word: "Naruto."

Hatori's silver-green eyes narrowed. "What about him?"

"You can't honestly be serious about him coming here. Do you understand what that would signal to the rest of our people?"

A frown appeared on Tsunade's face. "Naruto has lived his entire life in ignorance and isolation. I think it's time he learns about his lineage. He's an ophan—partly anyway. This place should have been his home and not the world where those humans treat him like shit."

The high-born shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "We understand that Tsunade-sama," said an ophan with pale blue wings. "But we all agreed there's nothing we can do regarding the humans and their treatment of him. They fear us enough for the disaster on their lands seventeen years ago. Intervening in their lives would only make relations worse. They don't trust demons…and who could blame them?"

"Besides," said another ophan, large silver eyes gleaming. "It was not Minato-sama's wish for the boy to be raised here. He wanted that young human Iruka to care for him."

Hatori stepped forward until his tan eagle-like feathers brushed against the back of Tsunade's curved chair. "We all know what Minato wanted, but I don't think his son growing up as an outcast was part of the plan. Naruto needs to learn about his parents and I—" He glanced down. "I want to finally meet my nephew."

Tsunade patted his wing, her serious brown eyes fixed on the other ophanin. "I know none of you really like him because of his yokai gene—that's right, don't look guilty!" The high-born were muttering to themselves. "You pretend to treat him with frigid politeness, but I bet he's seen through that. You're all ophanin. You can't hide how you really feel about the kid. And the same goes for Riaru." She stood up, making a very impressive figure against the silver lights and vapor. "Those two will be coming here on his birthday and I advise you to _maintain_ your politeness if you meet them. I know you despise me comparing you to the humans so _try_ to be civil."

"We've never treated them wrongly," argued the blue-winged ophan.

"But your politeness was fake and they knew it," Seiya said sharply. The ophanin looked at her in disapproval. "I…sumimasen." She quailed under their harsh glares. _I shouldn't have spoken out of turn. I really_ really  _wish Shizune was here._

_Honestly!_ Tsunade returned the ophanin's glares. _Apparently Riaru and Naruto aren't the only things these bores don't like._ "That's quite enough." She crossed her arms. "We're not discussing my decision any further. So if you have no other objections?"

"Exactly _why_ must we ask him on his eighteenth birthday?" The silver-eyed ophan propped his chin on his hands. "Any other time of the year wouldn't make much of a difference would it?"

Hatori and Tsunade glanced at each other. "That is my _own_ business," said the leader. "You may discuss with me in private if you wish but I don't guarantee you'll get positive results. So…if there is nothing else?"

The high-born shook their heads and stood up.

"Very well. I'll see _you_ all in two months." She bowed low before her demon brethren. They returned the motion.

* * *

It was a common fact known to man: the cemetery was meant to be a quiet place. Konoha's cemetery was no exception although there were rumors some people found it a nice place to picnic. Why they did was beyond Sasuke, but he didn't care either way.

As he neared the stone gates leading to the grassy interior of tombstones and plaques, he noticed a figure apparently waiting for him beside the entrance. Her outfit, varying in shades of dark and light blue, allowed her to resemble a night sky. Gold rings sectioned off pieces of her black hair.

"What are you doing here?"

"The academy let out and I didn't feel like going home just yet. Don't think I actually went looking for you here; I was…visiting my mother." A shadow passed over Cassandra's pale face.

Sasuke silently masked his surprise. Cassandra knew very little about her biological mother; she'd been only a year old when the yokai had attacked her family. But Cassandra had witnessed her death, and Sasuke knew firsthand that witnessing someone's demise was traumatizing.

The older girl held out something that had been hidden within the folds of her dark blue cloak: a single flower that appeared dry and wilted. Tied to the flower were two sticks of incense. "I wanted to give you this…for your…family." There was a light of understanding in her eyes.

"I can't leave _that_ on their grave."

Cassandra smiled lightly and lifted the dying flower up. "It's only a mask." Noticing the strange look Sasuke was giving her, she added, "Sometimes you disguise the appearance of something because you're afraid or too proud to show the real deal. The outside may _appear_ to be something hideous in order to keep everyone away but—" She gently blew onto the flower and the wilted, dead state vanished, "—underneath there is something real in all of its beauty."

_Like you._

She held out the plant to Sasuke. The flower shimmered in the light and seemed velvet to the touch. It was the colors of a sunset: gold, pink, and tints of purple.

Sasuke blinked and then took it along with the sticks of incense. A smirk played across his features. "Another lesson for the pupil?" he asked sarcastically.

The sage shrugged. "Hey, I'm not living with you just because you needed someone to look pretty."

He snorted and proceeded to walk through the entrance of the cemetery. "I'll see you later at home Cassandra."

"What do you want for dinner?"

The boy glanced at her with those emotionless obsidian irises. She gazed back. "Anything you make is fine."

Cassandra watched him go with a strange expression on her face. She sighed and pressed one palm against the side of her head. _Sasuke…_

His face was one that should never been inflicted with pain. His face…she closed her eyes and allowed her hand to fall limply to her side. She wanted to wring the bastard who had hurt him…who had carved his path and forced him to don that mask.

But it was Sasuke's revenge. And, try as she might to fight it, she had no right to make his decisions for him. If he wanted his revenge, she would not stand in his way. _I'm just a bystander after all._

She slowly made her way back to the Uchiha manor to wait for him to return. She wasn't worried about anyone attacking; no one would dare at the level her aura was giving.

So…why was there a cold sensation running down her spine? And how was it that she could suddenly feel power flaring all around her…power that far surpassed her own.

Cassandra's eyes narrowed and she muttered a few words under her breath. Wisps of icy air traveled up and down her palms. She felt the power surge drop slightly…but the presence did not go away.

Grimacing, she forced herself to turn around…and caught a glimpse of black hair and cold eyes. She gasped and stepped back as the man materialized fully. The hair was much longer than she remembered…the eyes no longer dark; giving way to red instead…

Yet…she knew that pale handsome face…she knew who it resembled…

"Ita…Itachi?"

**_To Be Continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other important stuff):
> 
> Ja: means "see ya." This will be used depending on the person and situation (often not for formal speech though).
> 
> Senko Tora: The name Senko means "incense sticks." Tora was chosen by AznTigress and means "tiger."
> 
> Seiya "Sei" Sekai: The name Seiya means "Star Arrow", but the nickname Sei means "spirit." Sekai means "world."
> 
> Hyoton: means "release ice."
> 
> Sugoi: means "Awesome!"
> 
> Chosun Okami: The name Chosun was the name of Korea under Japanese rule. Okami means "wolf."
> 
> Kage Bunshin: means "Shadow Clone" or "Shadow Doppelganger." Derived from Kishimoto's Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.
> 
> Bakayarou: can either mean "stupid asshole' or a very strong form of "fool" or "idiot." 
> 
> Mokuton: means "release wood."
> 
> Anima: any of the four main elements of the world: earth, fire, wind, and water.
> 
> Makiwara: warm-up board often used in martial arts practice. May be used with a pad or bare-knuckle.
> 
> Haori: a lightweight silk jacket worn open in the front, and used to keep a kimono dry and clean. They can be of different lengths depending on the ocassion (long for formal wear and short for wearing at home).
> 
> *Kimonos and kimono-style dress will sometimes make an appearance in this fic but they will not be standard wear for everyone since other styles (ranging from shirts to qiapao) will also be common.


	5. Bittersweet Tapestry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The characters of the Naruto world belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the different classes of the academy come from a mix of different games ranging from RO, Dungeons and Dragons, and Fire Emblem. The attacks will range from my own thoughts, to Golden Sun, to the actual anime/manga Naruto. All unfamiliar peoples belong to me along with the new ideas relating classes and demons. The lyrics to Cassandra's song are just made-up. 
> 
> Oh and just an added note: Riaru doesn't know about Naruto being a demon (too young to remember). Just in case anyone was wondering about that.

" _Every day we meet people on the worst day of their lives,"—_ Gil Grissom, CSI

" _A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words,"—_ Unknown

Strange as the connotation seemed, the Konoha graveyard was quite pretty in the afternoon. A few large trees had been placed near the headstones, casting leafy patterns on the grass. Small posts lined the paved walkways, automatically lighting once the sky began to dim. Flowers lay scattered across many of the graves.

Naruto glanced at the trees. Normally, the cemetery was silent but he could hear larks chirping happily and cicadas calling to their families. _It's a happy place as long as you're not dead._

He strolled down a paved walkway, eyeing some of the epitaphs. Some resembled impressive monuments while others were merely plaques laid set firmly into the earth. There were others that might have stood for decades since their stones were crumbling away.

But none of these people bore his last name.

Fleetingly, Naruto wondered if Riaru's parents were written down somewhere in the ophanin sanctuary. She'd asked several times before, but none of her brethren gave her a straight answer.

_We don't even know Riaru's last name anyway. Hell, we don't even know if her first name even_ is _Riaru._

Naruto sighed and gazed at the sea of graves before him. "I _should_ know where my parents are buried…or if they're even alive and just forgot about me. Even though…"

_Even though most of the world doesn't care._

The air suddenly cold from his disturbing thoughts, Naruto decided to rest his mind. He spotted a small cluster of large headstones and hurried over to their shade.

"That's better," he sighed, leaning his head back against the cold marble of one of the stones. He was about to force his mind to focus when a familiar voice disrupted his internal actions.

"She knows."

_Eh?_ Naruto spun around and crouched behind his headstone. His blue eyes widened.

_Sasuke?_

The Uchiha was kneeling in front of a particularly large headstone made of black marble, his hands fiddling with a pair of incense sticks. His almond-shaped eyes were nearly hidden by his curtain of dark bangs.

"I'm not sure if I can trust her…to keep her mouth shut…but she knows. She knows the truth about _him._ " Sasuke shut his eyes, apparently gritting his teeth. "I guess she has a right to know, being that I _live_ with her…but honestly, sometimes I wish she'd be like the others and just stay out of my life."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. _What is he talking about? What did Cassandra do?_

"I know she cares about me, but she doesn't realize just how dangerous that is. I…I can't let her get too close." Sasuke sighed. "You understand don't you? Mother? Father?

"The memories are becoming much more vivid. I thought in time…I would learn to forget…or at least let them fade. But the older I get, the easier it is to see everything…hear everything. It's getting much more difficult to sleep...which leads to Cassandra discovering what's going on."

Sasuke rubbed his eyes and continued.

"I haven't been out of the city…probably won't be out until I finish my exams at the academy. I'm getting stronger…I know that…but I don't know if it'll be enough to take _him_ on." Sasuke's fists clenched. "But you don't have to worry. I'll get stronger by any means necessary. I haven't forgotten my vengeance…not for an instant."

_Oh…kay…he_ does _know he's talking to himself right? They say that talking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity._

Sasuke was now quietly muttering something inaudible as he arranged the incense sticks on the ground in front of the headstone. He hesitated, then removed a startlingly beautiful flower from the folds of his black cloak and laid it on the earth.

_Maybe I should get a little closer…but…_ Naruto glanced around nervously. There was nobody around in the quiet cemetery and Sasuke seemed to be immersed in whatever he was doing. _"Fuuton: Cloak."_ A small swirl of wind gathered around him and settled over his body, until he blended into a grass and the gray headstone he was hiding behind.

_All right._ He moved to another headstone, his footsteps made light from training in stealth.

_Those names…his family?_

The Uchiha sighed, tilting his head to one side before shutting his eyes in concentration and blowing on the incense sticks. A small steady stream of fire ignited the two sticks, smoke and scent curling into the air. Fire had always come easier to him than the other elements. Just as Cassandra's favored element was ice. It was…fitting that they would counter each other.

Naruto nearly sighed out of boredom. Sasuke wasn't doing anything (or saying anything) interesting anymore. _Maybe I should've left the asshole to his brooding._

Then Sasuke straightened up and his dark eyes were shown clearly for the first time that evening. And in the obsidian depths, Naruto could depict hidden sorrow, loneliness…and…he blinked.

Annoyance.

"I know you're here usuratonkachi. So why don't you get rid of the stupid cloaking spell and show yourself?"

* * *

_This…this can't be…this isn't possible!_

The girl's stomach lurched slightly as she stared up into the pale man's face. He'd grown tall and was about as lithe as Sasuke was, although she was sure muscle raced across that cloth-covered body. His blood-red eyes bore into her blue ones; eyes like fire mixed burning charcoal. The eyes matched the strange cloak he was wearing, a mixture of stormy silver clouds against a fiery backdrop. She didn't like the cool assessment in his eyes, as if he could dissect her down to nothing but veins and DNA. 

_He's gotten stronger…_ she thought weakly. _And…handsomer…somewhat…though Sasuke kind of resembles him…_

And then Cassandra remembered.

_Sasuke…_

This was the man who was supposed to be dead…who had been her betrothed…who had dared turn Sasuke into what he was today…

_I hate you._

Her deep blue eyes rapidly transformed into an almost angry black.

"How dare you…KONOYAROU!"

Cassandra could not stop from lashing out with a fist, intent on slamming it into Itachi's emotionless face.

Itachi, though surprised the young woman had resorted to physical attack, grabbed her fist and shoved it back against her chest with a little more force than necessary. She stumbled backwards, angry magical aura rising from her body in waves.

"Cassie…"

"SHUT UP!" she yelled furiously. Her black hair rose up behind her, crackling with the energy. "How dare you speak to me with familiarity! After what you… _you_ …" She clasped her palms together, preparing to attack.

_Whoosh._

Itachi teleported behind her and wrestled her arms back down to her sides. Her eyes glowed menacingly. "You also have NO right to touch me," she muttered through gritted teeth. Her pale arms tensed as she jerked against his hands. "Why are you here? Your family not enough to sate your bloodlust so you decided to come back for more?"

The dark-haired man was silent for a moment and Cassandra felt the iron grip tighten. She flinched.

_Damn it._

"So you know."

"Yeah I know." Cassandra twisted her head around to glare at him over her shoulder. "I know what you did to Sasuke you monster."

A monster would have chuckled evilly or at least smiled at the compliment. Itachi only stared back with that same emotionless look in his red eyes.

And for some reason, that lack of response only made Cassandra furious. She _wanted_ a response from the man. It was like he was belittling her without even trying. "How _could_ you? They were your family! He was your brother! He was just a kid!"

Itachi narrowed his eyes. Passionate words…woven with anger and love. One emotion clearly directed at him…the other reaching for another boy.

_Love makes you blind._

"So what else has my foolish little brother been up to?" he asked, betraying no signs of interest.

It was the wrong thing to say.

"Your 'foolish little brother' is worth _more_ than _you_ will ever be Itachi Uchiha!" Cassandra snarled. Her invisible aura was turning crystalline blue. _"Fuuton: Teleport!"_ A zephyr of leaves fluttered around the girl and snatched her away from Itachi, settling her a few feet away with ample area for attack. The air around her grew chilly with snow somehow materializing and swirling around her.

_"Hyoton: Diamond Missiles!"_

Cassandra raised one hand to the sky and enormous shards of ice formed from the snow floating around her. The shards sharpened themselves into large spikes before acquiring a clear, diamond-hard sheen. The ice missiles spun around her body before she flicked her wrist to direct their movement. They stopped spinning.

_Aim for him._

The sage flicked her wrist again and the diamond ice missiles zoomed toward Itachi. The Uchiha watched them through hooded eyes.

_"Eizou Shield."_

_BOOM!_

The shards slammed into a glowing green and yellow shield surrounding the man's body and bounced off. They scattered and crashed into the earth or nearby trees. Itachi had one hand effortlessly held up to hold the shield in place while the other hand formed a warrior's sign of an elemental spell. Something was flaring up around him. The whorls within his blood-red eyes were spinning wildly, fusing together into a dark spiral.

"Oh…shit…"

_"Amaterasu."_

Black fire surrounded Cassandra's form, rising up and over her. She quickly managed to teleport herself away from the blaze, but hissed as some of the curling flames seared her arm and singed the fabric of her robes.

Itachi calmly disabled his shield and, with a wave of his hand, doused the black flames. Cassandra rubbed at her burned arm, blue irises wary at his approaching form. The wind swept back their long midnight strands.

"I didn't know you favored ice," Itachi said finally. The whorls of the Sharingan had long stopped spinning.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Itachi," replied Cassandra coldly. She rubbed at her burned arm again, cursing as her hands came in contact with the reddened flesh. _What_ is _this? This burn…feels different from others I've experienced. If I don't heal it, I don't know what it would do to me._ She took a step back, fingers flowing with green light across her arm. _Damn it, I hope this works._

Itachi stared down at her with no expression, his fiery cloak fluttering around him. Silver designs threaded through the cloud motif glimmered in the evening light. "Your aura…is stronger."

Cassandra let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. The healing green light vanished but her arm continued to throb in pain. "I'm not some _damsel_ who requires assistance." She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring. Should Itachi attack her again, she would have to plan ahead to defend herself. "What are you doing here?"

"I have no obligation to tell you," Itachi replied coldly. His red eyes swept over his fiancée's form. She had changed a great deal since childhood; her sharp features showing both keen intelligence and subtle loveliness. If it hadn't been for the Mikomi's blue eyes and powerful aura, he wouldn't have recognized her. "Well…I guess my father was right about one thing Cassandra Mikomi. You _have_ grown up."

"Don't tell me you returned just so you could check me out." Cassandra brushed her dark bangs out of her eyes impatiently. "I assume you're here to finish what you began those years ago." _Not that I'll let you._

Itachi's red eyes almost looked amused. "You assume I'm here for Sasuke."

"Of course. Am I wrong?"

The Uchiha shook his head. "I have much more important business to attend to. I _did,_ however, wish to see if the rumors about your newly acquired powers were true."

"Well you've satisfied your curiosity haven't you?" the sage responded acidly.

He nodded, dark eyes enigmatic. The wind blew by, shrieking a warning for the time.

_I must leave._

Cassandra sensed the minuscule movement of her former betrothed. "I've a right mind to turn you in Itachi." She planted her body into a stance, ready to use another spell.

His eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. "You cannot hope to beat me at the level you are Cassie."

The girl hissed. "Like I said, you have no right to speak to me in that familiar tone. I don't go by that name anymore anyhow." Swirling ice crystals began to form in one of her palms. "I'm not planning on killing you, but I _will_ subdue you!" She raised her hand. _"Hyoton: Missiles!_ "

Ice missiles, not nearly as large and without the diamond covering of her earlier ones, rained down upon Itachi. He dodged around them, cloak swirling.

"You'll have to do better than that. Your movements are too obvious. There's no need for all the hand waving and flashy theatrics." Itachi's lips curved up in a miniature smile and suddenly vanished, reappearing behind the girl. His breath tickled her ear and she shuddered. "I advise you not to sway my little brother from his ideas. It will only bring more harm in the long run." Itachi brushed away a lock of fine dark hair. "Has your presence caused him to waver?" _You always held something in your heart for him even when you were both still children. You cared for him much more than you did for me._

Cassandra frowned. _Have you been stalking me or something?_ "What are you—?"

"Good," he whispered, running one hand down her arm until he reached the burn. A black mark still remained on her arm and he pressed his hand against it, healing it and causing it to fade from her skin. "If that burn had gone any further, it would have carved straight into your bone." He watched the horrified reaction on her face with some sort of amusement. "Consider it a favor in exchange for you not revealing my whereabouts Cassandra."

She turned away, her black hair smacking against his cheek. Its scent was unusual: a combination of lavender with a piney undertone he could not name. "You're a sick bastard."

Itachi gave a low chuckle that was unbecoming of him and brushed his knuckles along the side of her face. The action was similar to a lover's caress but it contained no warmth or desire.

"I know."

The wind howled its lonely cry as he slowly disappeared in a rush of leaves that seemed to burn. Cassandra shut her eyes and rearranged her singed robe.

_Damn you Itachi Uchiha._

* * *

"How'd you manage to sense me?" Naruto asked, plopping down next to Sasuke. He'd disabled the cloak.

The raven-haired boy snorted. "You make a lousy spy. You got all the basics of stealth down but you forgot two things: my magical ability to draw on another person's normal aura."

"Oh." Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "And the second?"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "You were breathing too loudly. So much for being stealthy."

"Hey!" Naruto jabbed a finger at him. "Why are you such a bastard? What's your problem? Do you honestly get a kick out of insulting me all the time?"

"I'm not a bastard, none of your business, and sometimes," replied Sasuke slowly. He smirked at the confused look on the other warrior's face. "Those were the answers to your questions—in that order."

_Asshole._ Naruto shoved his knees up to his chest and fought not to pout. Pouting was for little kids and he was on the threshold of adulthood now.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

_Oh so you actually want to start a conversation with me?_ Naruto glanced at the other young man. He was fiddling with the incense sticks again. "Before you start flattering yourself, I didn't come all the way to the cemetery to see you. This place is just quiet enough for me to focus my thoughts and emotions okay?"

"Really," said Sasuke bluntly. He let his hands fall away from the sticks. The smoke curled up and around his head like a lopsided halo. "So why did you decide to spy on me then? You wanted to 'talk about your feelings'?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the sarcastic comment. "No, but I _was_ curious about why the 'perfect' Sasuke Uchiha was talking to himself. They say that speaking to yourself is one of the first signs of insanity."

"Hn." Sasuke scowled.

"So…" Naruto flicked a hand at the names etched on the gravestone. "You've been visiting your parents?"

"Not just my parents." Sasuke gestured to the large section of graves surrounding them. "This whole lot is taken up by my family name." _Why are we even having this conversation anyway?_

_Ouch._ Naruto winced. He had known Sasuke had no parents, but…to have no family at all? "I…would've thought you had your own tomb for that or something."

Sasuke shook his head. "It wasn't my choice to bury them here but…I'm surprisingly okay with it. I don't think I'd feel comfortable if they were close to me at home."

Naruto grimaced. _Understandable._ "So…"

"Don't you have anything better to do than listen to me?" Sasuke snapped irritably. His tired dark eyes forced themselves into a successful glare. "And anyway…I thought you were a man of your word. You promised you wouldn't bother me for the rest of the day."

_Hmm…_ Naruto tilted his head at the older boy. "Is this…bothering you?"

They were just talking; still arguing a little but not yelling or resorting to fist-fighting. It was a pleasant change.

"A little," Sasuke finally admitted, looking away from the sunny blond. His pale hands gathered around clumps of grass. "Look Uzumaki, I'm not the talking type—"

"Boy do I know that," Naruto responded with a snort.

"Idiot, let me finish." The brunette pulled off a small stalk of grass and glared at it. "I don't feel like 'opening up' or whatever shit you call it these days. So if that's what you want, you're not getting it." He released the stalk, letting it catch the wind.

_Sourpuss._ Naruto flopped back against the grass childishly. "Heh, you assume too much Uchiha. I wasn't going to ask you to open up or anything. If you don't feel comfortable with that can of worms, fine." He stared up at the sky. _I_ ' _m running out of things to say._ "Sooo…what's the deal with you and Cassandra?"

Sasuke glanced at him sharply. "What about me and Cassandra?"

"Do you like her?"

Why did he want to know? "Cassandra is my housemate."

"That doesn't answer my question." Naruto sat up, azure blue eyes trained on the older boy's face. "I know she lives with you. It's pretty much common knowledge now. But do you _like_ her?"

The other teen faced his parents' headstone again. His face was expressionless. "She's…all right," he admitted. _Even though she butts into things that are none of her business._

A long time ago though, he would have said Cassandra was more than all right. She had been one of his few friends before his psycho of a brother had killed his family. If anything, he remembered vaguely being slightly jealous of Aniki for being allowed to marry Cassandra. He snorted.

_I was only seven at the time…around the time I first met_ this _idiot._

"Just 'all right' huh?" Naruto tilted his head to one side. The dying sunlight caught glints of his blond hair. "You hold onto some pretty tough standards Sasuke. Cassandra's smart and talented even though some of your bastard attitude has rubbed off on her. Hey and at least she doesn't act like one of your fan girls."

"I wouldn't be living with her then," Sasuke responded honestly. "But if she's so wonderful in your eyes then be my guest Naruto. I have no claims on her."

_She_ is _pretty…but I haven't really talked to her much especially since that time in the hall. Not even in the past._ "You've known her for forever though."

Sasuke flinched. The dobe was starting to enter _very_ touchy territory. "Our…families were pretty close." He shifted his feet uncomfortably, surprised when Naruto fell silent.

It really _was_ strange that Sasuke was actually talking civilly to the local outcast of Konoha Academy. They hadn't talked like this since…since they were children years ago.

_Outcast._

Naruto pushed that depressing word out of his head as the silence drifted on. He didn't want any reminder of what he represented to Konoha society—and he hoped Sasuke wasn't mean enough to bring it up.

"Why did you bring up Cassandra anyway?" the Uchiha asked after a while. "It's not like I question your relationship with Riaru."

The other boy shrugged his shoulders. "Just a little curious I guess. I'm pretty sure most of Konoha is curious as to why you two haven't 'connected' or something after living with each other. Everyone knows that Riaru and I are practically siblings."

"Hn." Sasuke rolled his eyes. Apparently this was another way of saying, "Whatever."

The wind rushed by, catching the sharp scent of incense and carrying it away. Naruto wrinkled his nose before glancing up at the sky. The new clouds resembled stringy pieces of cotton streaked with sunset paint.

"Ne…Sasuke?"

Sasuke glanced at him. Tree shadows dappled across the brownish-green grass and over Naruto's orange jacket and blue shirt. A few speckles flitted across the whisker scars.

"What?"

"Back in the academy…when I made that bet with you…I really did want to know what was wrong with you."

Sasuke stared.

"Hell, don't look at me like that teme!" Naruto popped up into a regular sitting position. "I was just wondering what could be eating you that would make you wanna skip class and forget about learning new techniques." _And resorting to innuendo to win a spar._ "I mean, you clearly have issues but…must be pretty big to make you act the way you did today. You're not usually so..." _Vulgar._

_Still unwilling to let it go eh dobe?_ "Got your attention though didn't it?" Sasuke couldn't help smirking.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "But…a deal's a deal. I'm not gonna ask you about it or anything like that," said the teen, blue eyes focused on the clouds again. "I just wanted to tell you that I was wor—curious. Sorry I was pestering you earlier."

Naruto's obvious change in words caused Sasuke to stare at him harder. _He was_ worried _about me?_ He _was worried about_ me?

This was new territory especially for the both of them. They weren't friendly rivals at all so wishing each other as much misery as possible was standard operating procedure. But worry was something else.

If fate had been different…then perhaps…they wouldn't have grown up as rivals. If fate had acted from the day they met…

"Whatever." As long as the moron wasn't going to delve into it and keep his word, Sasuke wasn't going to oblige him.

Naruto stood up and brushed some grass off the seat of his pants. "I better head back home. Riaru will start to wonder why I'm not back to help her with dinner yet."

_And why are you telling me this?_ Sasuke thought to himself in annoyance, although the other teen wasn't being as annoying as he usually was.

"Uh…see you tomorrow I guess." Naruto lifted his tanned hand in a half-hearted wave. _I don't suppose I'll ever really understand you Sasuke Uchiha._

Sasuke glanced up at him—and nodded once. He turned back to look at his parents' headstone once more, not wanting to see Naruto leave.

Despite the chirping birds and rustling trees with the fading afternoon sunlight beaming down, the graveyard felt even lonelier than before.

* * *

The savory smell of vegetable and beef stew wafted down the hallways of the house as Riaru stirred in soy sauce and cooking sake (called _mirin_ ) into the pot. She smiled, pleased that her first time cooking sukiyaki was a success so far. She'd never attempted the slightly sweet dish before without Iruka around to supervise.

_I wonder where the dish originated from. We certainly don't have it up in the ophanin sanctuary._

Riaru hummed and allowed the stew to cook over the black stove while she beat at a raw egg in a separate bowl. The house was abnormally quiet without her noisy housemate, so she attempted to make up for the silence.

It was true that she was often annoyed with Naruto for being so noisy sometimes, but she secretly found it comforting. Having someone around was better than being alone like she was when tending the sanctuary garden.

"Ri-chan?"

The ophan stopped humming and glanced over her shoulder, not stopping her task. "You're home a little early Iruka-otousan. No written tests to grade with the clerics?"

Iruka shook his head. "Thank goodness for that." He gazed at the bubbling stew pot with curious dark eyes. "What are you—?"

"Ah, I wanted to try making sukiyaki on my own today. I know it's usually best to eat it when the weather gets colder, but I really wanted to try my hand at it." Riaru's blue eyes were anxious. "I hope it turns out all right."

"We'll find out when you're done," Iruka replied with a reassuring smile. He walked over to the cupboards and began removing bowls and utensils. _Better keep an eye on it just in case._ "How was your meeting with the ophanin council today?"

Riaru sighed with contentment and placed the beaten raw egg aside. "I finally got accepted into the high-born." She exchanged a pleased smile with Iruka. "And…I didn't fall asleep."

_Well…that's good._ Chuckling, the brunette went to set the table. "I'm very proud of you Ri-chan. You've worked hard to gain that position for a long time."

"Yes," said the ophan cheerfully. She switched off the stove and lifted the cooked stew off and onto a mat to cool off. _Mmmm, it smells good._ She lifted her head and inhaled the scent of green onions and shirataki noodles.

Iruka glanced around the room. "I could've sworn it was quieter in here. Where's Naruto?"

"Oh, he left for the cemetery to right his mind," Riaru replied, going back to check on her beaten egg. "He's had a pretty rough day so…don't worry about him. He'll be back soon."

_Knowing Naruto, he can't ignore the call of his stomach for long._

Sure enough, the door banged open (none too gently) and Naruto came into the room a few minutes later. "TADAIMA!" His blue eyes were bright but somehow much softer than they had been earlier that day.

Riaru grinned, walked over, and tugged him to one of the chairs. "Dinner's almost done Naruto-kun. How was your walk? Did it clear your head like you hoped?"

"Yup," the blond teen replied cheerfully although he looked distracted. _And in a way it didn't._

"See anyone there?" Iruka asked curiously. He also sat down across from Naruto.

Riaru, setting the beaten egg down beside the stew, lifted her head inquisitively. _He probably saw at least one person. It's quiet but not empty._

_Uh…well…_ For some odd reason, Naruto felt uncomfortable mentioning his strange encounter with the remaining Uchiha heir. But he didn't want to lie to his father figure.

"It was…pretty empty," he said carefully. Then, before Iruka could question him any further, he immediately bounced up and headed toward the hallway. "Gonna wash up! Be right back!"

Riaru and Iruka exchanged anxious looks.

* * *

Sakura Haruno lifted her pink head, frowning. _Weird._ She was sure she had sensed a strong surge of magical aura near the cemetery. She glanced at the place worriedly but only saw Sasuke walking away in the opposite direction of her. A strong tingling sensation swooped in her stomach. _Sasuke-kun._

She was half-tempted to run up to him and start a conversation, but something about him seemed off. It was the same in the classroom as well. Slowly, she reached out with her own healing aura and touched upon his magical one. It was…cold…and exhausted.

_Maybe…it'd be better to leave Sasuke-kun alone. He doesn't look like he's up for chatting._

Sakura took one last look at her crush before continuing to her house alone. Had that strange magical surge earlier been Sasuke's? It felt so much more…ominous…than the aura she was accustomed to the teen having.

_I don't think it was Sasuke-kun's…though it felt like it._

"A-are you all right Haruno-san?"

The pink-haired girl glanced up, one hand firmly clutching her scroll of healing techniques. For a minute she thought the person in front of her was the one with the strange aura, but that was impossible. Kiteru Inugami did not rely on aura to perform hunter missions.

"Eh I'm fine Kiteru-kun." It wouldn't be good to worry him about the strange aura. Even though she barely knew him, she knew well enough that Kiteru did _not_ handle anxiety well. The last thing she wanted was for him to freak out on her. "I didn't know you were back in Konoha. I thought you made up your mind to stay in Ame with your family."

"Oh I will return to Ame soon. I was only passing by with Kirokose to see if Cho—I-I mean, to see my f-friends again," Kiteru stammered nervously. He rubbed the back of his pale blond head. "Riaru will be all alone here once we leave and Senko returns to Iwa in the Earth Country."

Sakura nodded. "I see." _Did he almost say "Cho" like in "Chosun"?_ "It's really nice that you care about her." She had never truly gotten to know the peculiar ophan who lived among the humans instead of with her own kind. Sakura knew that her own parents, along with most of the city's population, walked on eggshells around Riaru. They treated her with scorn or politeness mixed with fear.

_She's a demon…but she doesn't seem to act like one._

Kiteru smiled. "If you are going this way home, would you mind me accompanying you?" He tilted his head, only just noticing that he wasn't much taller than she was.

Sakura felt around with her healing aura. The surge of magical aura was gone for sure, but she wanted to remain cautious.

"No I wouldn't mind."

* * *

"You wanted to see me Tsunade-sama?" Seiya poked her head into the office. _I wonder what she wants. I'm not done with that second pile of legal documents yet._

Tsunade looked away from the window where she was watching little ophanin practice flying in the courtyard. "Uh huh. Step in here Sei."

The female demon stepped into the room, her aqua-colored wings hunched behind her. She glanced around admiringly at the simple décor of her leader's office. Silky golden board walls and soft natural lighting from the green-curtained windows; no columns or white tile anywhere in sight. Even the table wasn't made of the usual carved marble.

"What is it?"

Tsunade propped her chin on her hands. "Judging from what you've witnessed at both meetings, I think you understand what I meant when I told you the high-born are blind." She tapped a finger against her cheek. "Blind to anything that oversteps the rules regarding the humans. We're not making any progress towards getting them to trust us again."

"But our intentions towards the humans are _good_ ," Seiya insisted. The lavender pools of her eyes revealed deep anxiety. "You and the high-born have constantly stressed that our goal is to watch over them and maintain the balanced peace between us and the yokai."

"You and I know that," replied the blonde woman seriously. "And the rest of our demonic race knows that but the humans don't. Not really anyway." She folded her hands. "And after that little fiasco seventeen years ago, who could blame them for not trusting us? We shouldn't have let our feud with the yokai get that far…but it's not like the high-born are doing anything to _try_ to get the humans to talk to us. I think they're content feeling ashamed."

Seiya bowed her head. She had been very young on that infamous day so she did not remember anything that had happened. Her parents refused to elaborate since it pained them to speak about the allies they'd lost.

"I'm going to work to regain the humans' trust Sei…and that's where you come in."

_Huh?_ The ophan blinked. "How?"

"It's a little difficult for you at the moment what with the academy exams beginning soon, but I'll tell you now so you're aware kiddo. I need an ophan representative to go down to Konoha and speak to the clan heads. I want to extend a hand of friendship and cooperation with them…just to get things on the right path again."

"Clan heads?"

"Oh right. Similar to the high-born here, the cities in Fire Country and Wind Country and a few of the other countries are controlled by the most elite members of society. They do have their elected official leaders, but the noble clans are the ones who run most of the decisions by the elder council. These clans are composed of the most powerful or influential families in the cities. They represent the people." Tsunade grinned, raising one eyebrow. "Got that?"

Seiya nodded warily. "I got it Tsunade-sama. So who do you want me to request?"

_She's already on the ball,_ Tsunade thought affectionately. _And those old crones think she can't handle anything._

"Who said I needed you to ask somebody? I'm assigning _you_ as the representative."

The younger ophan's jaw dropped—and promptly shut with a _click._ She winced. "Ts-Tsunade-sama…m- _me?_ "

"I don't see anyone else in here," said the woman cheerfully. "What's the matter?"

"I…I really think it would be better for you send someone more experienced Tsunade-sama. Not that I'm disagreeing with your decision because I'm _not…_ I mean…" _Damn it!_ Seiya twisted her fingers around. "The high-born council would probably be more comfortable with—"

Tsunade snorted. "Half the time, I don't give a rat's ass what they think and I'm the one who's in charge of the decision this time; not them. Besides, this mission would help you earn their respect as well. I'm giving you something a little more challenging. As one of my assistants, I hope you consider this offer." She shrugged. "I could always send Hatori y'know, but the clan heads are _quite_ familiar with him so…don't wanna risk it. And Shizune's still teaching."

"But Tsunade-sama—"

"Look, you have a while before making a decision Sei. You don't have to agree now. Just _think_ about it." Tsunade waved her hand at the door. "Tell you what. I'll do some of the paperwork for you while you go down to Konoha and observe some of the clan members from afar tomorrow. It'll give you a chance to understand how they interact. You could always learn something about humans."

Seiya frowned. The offer was tempting…very tempting.

_I hope she takes the bait,_ Tsunade thought. _I'm putting some serious naptime on the line here._

* * *

Riaru's sukiyaki was delicious but Naruto barely recalled how it tasted. He also remembered joking and trading insults with Riaru as usual, but he didn't know what he had said. He'd even forgotten to talk to Iruka about the scroll. _I must've been_ really _out of it at dinnertime. Damn Sasuke, keeping me occupied from the more important things._

He shook his head as he pulled on a pair of clean pajama bottoms, carelessly tossing aside his jacket, shirt, and pants onto the floor along another pile of used clothes. Luckily Iruka and Riaru weren't in his room otherwise they would have had a fit.

"Naruto?"

_Crap._ Naruto kicked his clothing out of viewing range before opening the door. "Yeah?"

Riaru smiled at him sleepily. She held out a scroll with the ophanin insignia. "Here's the information I was talking about today. Iruka-otousan has already read it, but he told me to give it to you. Don't lose it okay?"

He nodded slowly.

"You all right? I thought that the walk would've cleared your mind, but you seem even more distracted." She leaned against the doorframe. "Do you want to talk?"

Naruto shrugged. She was really too good at reading emotions. _Damn demon._

The ophan walked into his semi-messy room and settled herself on the edge of the rumpled bed. The white mattress sank down a bit from her slight weight.

"Did you see anyone at the graveyard?"

"Yeah," Naruto replied slowly. He took a seat next to her, taking care not to sit on her filmy nightgown. "I…saw Sasuke there."

Riaru kept silent, waiting for the blond teen to speak again. She wasn't disappointed.

"I honestly didn't know why he was there at first. He was acting really weird, mumbling to himself and everything. But…then I saw the gravestone and…I remember his parents were killed. I remember some sort of announcement like that in the streets of Konoha when we were little. But…I didn't realize that I was interrupting an important family conversation…in a way," Naruto finished. His blue eyes seemed darker. "He saw me and we ended up having a pretty decent conversation. Hey, don't give me that look!" He waved his hands for emphasis at the disbelieving expression on the ophan's face. "We still insulted each other and I still think he's a bastard. I just…I don't think I've seen that side of him before. He was so… so down."

"Do you think," murmured Riaru softly, "that perhaps the reason Sasuke-san was acting out of character today was because of his family? He hasn't had it easy Naruto."

Naruto eyed her. " _Right._ "

"I know our lives haven't exactly been a picnic, but…perhaps there is much more behind his loneliness than we realize." Riaru sighed and drew her cloth-covered knees up on the bed. She rested her chin on them. "But was that what was bothering you Naruto? You've never known that—"

"That he could be human," the warrior finished with a snort. He allowed his eyelids to fall to half-mast. "Yeah…I guess. Maybe Cassandra's rubbing off on him instead of the other way around."

Riaru stiffened at the sound of that familiar name. She curled her slender arms around her knees, pulling them closer to her chest. Naruto noticed and turned his cerulean gaze on her.

"She was your friend wasn't she?"

"Cassie is _still_ my friend," Riaru replied vehemently. "She's just been…so busy with her studies and her training. She doesn't have any free time to speak to me." Her glittering eyes softened sadly. "I don't think she's avoiding me…I don't! I just…"

"She's got different priorities now," Naruto said, nudging the forlorn ophan with his shoulder. "Like Sasuke."

"But she's still _Cassie,_ " the green-haired girl insisted. "She's changed I know...but who hasn't? I know when the time comes we'll talk to each other again. She just needs space."

Naruto nodded doubtfully. _Those four years training to be a sage not enough space huh?_

"Remember when we were little and we were all friends at one point?" Riaru asked dreamily. "Even you and Sasuke-san."

_Me and Sasuke._ Naruto rolled his eyes. "That was a long time ago when he was too young to be an asshole."

"Mmm, you weren't too young to be annoying though," the ophan pointed out.

"WHAT!"

The girl smiled and patted his shoulder gently. "I still remember that day we met and I cling to it all the time even when people treat us wrong now. Because…then I remember what it feels like to be protected…and loved."

Naruto's cerulean irises widened, the slanted edges lifting. _Loved? You were eight years old!_

"Well maybe not exactly like that but…I know I've made friends with Senko, Kiteru, and Kirokose. And…Chosun before he left. I know _you've_ become pretty good friends with Nara-san and the Akimichi boy."

An amused chuckle escaped Naruto's lips and he bopped his housemate on the arm. "Their names are Shikamaru and Chouji y'know. And if you're going to mention Inuzuka, his name is Kiba."

"I know what their names are," replied Riaru dryly. _Baka._ "But…I somehow feel we were closer to Sasuke-san and Cassie that day than we are now with our new friends. I guess it's because they didn't hate us even when I acted so cold at first. Maybe it's because…I felt like they knew us and they didn't care." She sat up straight, sapphire orbs closing against the memories. "It's silly I suppose. We were so young back then. Times have changed." She laughed and lay back against Naruto's rumpled pale orange blanket, her hands lifting up to trace invisible patterns in the air.

But Naruto barely paid attention to the ophan's antics. He didn't want to mention it to Riaru, but he also remembered that day when Sasuke could be considered a friend. Today had sparked the memories…of a swing set…a child's laughter…and smiling dark eyes…

**_*Flashback ten years ago*_ **

_"Naruto-kun, I think you're going too high!" Riaru exclaimed worriedly as the little blond boy pumped his legs to make the swing arc higher and higher into the air. She was waving her tiny arms frantically. "You're gonna hurt yourself!"_

_"No I won't!" he shouted back down to her, blond strands catching the lights of the sun. Stray leaves fell around him and nestled into his spiky locks._

_"Yeah huh! You will an_ ' _then Iruka-otousan will get worried!"_

_Shikamaru Nara sighed and leaned back against the grass, his eyes locked on the swirling clouds. Helping his friend's housemate was too much effort._

_Across from him in the sand box, Chouji Akimichi happily trickled sand between his chubby fingers; a gleeful smile on his swirl-marked face. The sand was a lovely distraction from Riaru's frantic safety calls._

_"I think you better listen to your 'sister' Naruto," commented the last little boy in the group; Kiba Inuzuka. Unlike the others, he was very interested in the little argument setting between the pair. His mouth lifted, showing tiny fangs. "She's got a point. If you fall off that thing and die, you won't be able to get anyone to respect ya."_

_Remembering his aim, Naruto continued to swing._ Hmmm…I s'pose that's true. _He allowed his legs to stop pumping the swing higher and managed to slow down._ Too bad. I bet I could've reached the bar.

_Riaru heaved a sigh of relief. Shikamaru snorted. "Maa, you're so troublesome Naruto. You're only doing that because you enjoy the attention."_

_"Hey! It was fun Shika!" the boy argued._

_The young Nara shook his head and went back to watching the clouds. Arguing was pointless and wasted too much energy._

_Seeing that Shikamaru was too lazy even to answer him, Naruto turned to Kiba and Chouji to ask them to play a game of tag. The pair agreed and the game worked out fairly well…so long as Chouji wasn't "It" of course. They didn't ask Riaru to join in only because her wings had just grown out and she wanted to rest until she was capable of flying._

_As Naruto hurried to the safe spot with Kiba hot on his heels, his bright eyes caught two tiny figures walking down the street toward the park._ Weird. I don't remember other kids coming here at this time of day besides my friends. _His heart swelled at the wonderful word: friends._

_"Naruto-kun! Pay attention!" Riaru called out._

_"Huh?" He tore his eyes away from the approaching kids._

_"GOTCHA!" Kiba crowed as he bopped Naruto on the back. Giggling, he raced past the startled boy and touched the safe point. "I WIN!"_

_Naruto grumbled under his breath, rubbing at the spot under his T-shirt where Kiba had hit him. "You didn't have to tag me so hard Kiba!" His lower lip stuck out in a small pout._

_The young dog boy grinned. "Sure Naruto. I need to go home now anyways." He gestured to where his mother was waving to him. Beside her were Shikamaru and Chouji's parents. "See ya tomorrow or something yeah?"_

_"Uh huh." Naruto smiled brightly as his friends followed their parents out of the park. A small wave of loneliness settled over him but he shoved it aside. Riaru was still here after all and it wouldn't be long before Iruka got out of the academy to take them home. It was amazing that he had managed to convince the man that they could stay safely at the park._

_Still…it was always lonely when the others left. Now nothing could distract the occasional passersby from glaring at him._

Like right now.

_As he turned away, he caught sight of the new kids again. They were now standing in the middle of the park._ A girl and…a boy?

_The little girl, who seemed to have a strong grip on the boy's hand, was pointing out the area. "That's the sandbox, the swing set, the slide, and the tunnel." Her voice was lighter than Riaru's and much more confident. Her jacket and trousers of blue, lavender, and yellow seemed traditional, and he recognized it as being part of the richer folks of the city. Long black hair fell down her back, held back by a yellow band._

" _Daddy doesn't take me here often, but you should at least get to know where this is Sasu."_

_The boy beside her was listening quietly, occasionally nodding. He was pale…so pale that Naruto was positive he never spent time outside. His own hair was swept back in a very odd hairstyle that reminded Naruto of the back of a duck. Now that was a funny image_. _Giggling to himself, he watched the wind catch the long bangs on either side of the boy's head and brush them against the collar of his black shirt._

Are they brother and sister?

_Suddenly the girl stopped talking and released the dark-haired boy's hand. She swung herself around to face Naruto. Her eyes were an intense shade of blue with darker pigments near the pupils. "Why are you staring at us?"_

_Whenever someone used the comment, Naruto was used to have it come out as condescending and coupled with a sneer. However, the girl's ultramarine eyes looked genuinely curious._

_"I…"_

_"Are we not allowed to come here?" the boy suddenly spoke up. He too, mirrored the girl's curiosity, and Naruto saw that he had a perfect face; fit for one of Riaru's dolls. Dark lashes swooped over enchanting midnight eyes. "If we aren't then we'll leave right now. Cassie just wanted to show me this place."_

_As if to contrast with the girl's voice, his voice was lower than a normal seven-year-old should sound._ Was _he seven years old?_

_"Yeah. Sasu's never been here so I thought…"_

_"Ah no. I'm just not used to seeing anyone else," Naruto replied, his eyes curving upward. Hopefully that sounded reassuring. "If I_ ' _ffended you or anything, sorry."_

_The girl (Cassie?) nodded slowly. "S'okay." She frowned and walked up to him. "What are those things on your face?" Her small hand reached out to touch Naruto's whisker marks._

_"Huh? Oh um…"_

_"They're—"_

_"DON'T HURT HIM!"_

_All three children jumped and Cassie snatched her hand away from Naruto's face. Riaru was standing a few feet away, her fists clenched at her sides._

_Cassie turned her frown on the ophan. "I wasn't going to," she said flatly._

_Naruto hastily ran over to the green-haired demon and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "It's okay Ri-chan. She didn't do anything. She was just—"_

_"Why was she touching your face?" Riaru demanded. "The only people that do that end up yanking you around or—"_

_"Ri-chan!"_

_"She wasn't doing anything. You're just being paranoid," said the black-haired boy. His dark eyes glinted in defense and a frown was growing on his porcelain features._

_Riaru bit her bottom lip. "I…I'm sorry. I…we're not used to other people and people usually…hurt us."_

_"I can see that," Cassie pointed out calmly. "I know those boys you were hanging out with. My family sometimes meets up with them, especially the Akimichis. I don't think I've seen_ you _around Konoha before though. Who are you?"_

_Naruto eyed the girl curiously._ She hasn't seen us? Well…the city _is_ pretty big an' you can live here an' never meet the same people twice.

_"I'm Naruto," the blond said confidently. "An' this is Ri-chan." He waited for the girl to introduce the quiet boy but the boy actually spoke up for both of them._

_"Sasuke," he said with a short nod of acknowledgement. "And this is Cassandra."_

_The dark-haired girl bowed in respect. "Can you call me Cassie please? My name_ ' _s a mouthful." She tilted her head. "Are Sasuke and I bothering you or something? We can leave."_

_"NO!" Riaru shouted. The other three stared at her. "I…I mean…" She blushed and bowed her emerald head. Her wings rose up to cover her arms. "People…don't want to talk to us. I mean…'cause we're different and all. It's…it's nice that you want to…"_

_Cassie shrugged. "Is it a' cause you've got wings and he's got whiskers?" She reached out and touched the wings. Naruto waited with hesitation. If she was going to yank on them and call Riaru a "freak" as so many people did… "They're pretty."_

_"…th-thank you."_

_"If people make fun of you like that then they're probably just jealous," said Sasuke stubbornly. Riaru and Naruto glanced at him. "That's what Aniki told me."_

_Something passed over Cassie's face that looked akin to anxiety but it drifted away. She glanced at Naruto, who was staring at Sasuke with a mixture of curiosity and awe. A small grin passed over her face. "Ah Ri-chan, you wanna see something cool?"_

_Riaru blinked. "Huh?"_

_"C'mon. I'll show you something that my daddy's been teaching me." Cassie reached out and grabbed the ophan's hand. It was strange how her complexion was so much fairer than the demon's. She leaned over and whispered something into Sasuke's ear that sounded like "I'll be back soon Sasu." Then she tugged Riaru away to the sandbox._

_For a while, Naruto had no idea what to do. Sasuke shuffled his feet nervously, glancing at the ground. He then looked up at the sky as if to marvel at the lazy clouds trailing across the patch of blue mixed with gold._

Did Cassie leave me alone with him on purpose?

_"Soo…Sasuke?"_

_"Hn." The black-haired boy leveled his dark gaze on the blond. "What?"_

_"Do you wanna play?"_

_Sasuke blinked, large onyx eyes wide with confusion. "Play? You mean like…train?"_

Train? What does this kid _do_ in his spare time? _"No," said Naruto with a firm shake of the head. "I meant play like ride the swings or go down the slide." Seeing Sasuke's skeptical face, he sighed and grabbed the other boy's hand. Sasuke flinched. "C'mon I'll show you." He drew him to the swing set and motioned for the boy to sit down. "Grab onto the ropes."_

_Still confused, Sasuke did as he asked._

_"Okay, make sure to hold tight. I'm gonna give you a push." How was it that someone could not know about the thrill of a swing? Naruto shrugged and pushed against the cloth-covered back. Sasuke let out a small yelp as he was suddenly sent forward and up into the air. "Relax will ya?"_

_"Uh…okay Naruto." Something about the determined look in Sasuke's face was very amusing. Naruto grinned as the boy came sailing back down again and he pushed again to send him up once more._

_"See? It's easy."_

_Sasuke frowned, but there was a hint of a smile twitching at the corner of his lips. Naruto could see it. "It's a 'cause_ you're _used to it."_

_"Maybe." Naruto gave Sasuke a cheeky grin._

_After a while, Sasuke seemed to have gotten the hang of swinging alone so Naruto brought his attention to the girls. Cassie was muttering to herself and waving her hands in a strange fashion. Small clouds of icy air were trailing in wisps around her fingers. Riaru looked enchanted and squealed with delight when the icy wisps formed into a perfect ball. Cassie was giggling._

_"_ _How_ ' _d you do that?_ _" Riaru asked._

_Cassie shrugged._ _"I 'unno. Daddy says I got it from my mommy. She must_ _'ve known magic when she was little._ _"_

_Naruto gawked._ She…she knows magic already! _He didn't know_ any little kid _that could practice magic so easily._ An' she looks like she's only as old as Ri-chan.

_And then he heard something…remarkable._

_Turning around, Naruto locked his blue gaze on Sasuke. The black-haired boy was still swinging, but he was also laughing. The closed look on his face was gone and cheerful peals of laughter slipped from his mouth. His face was tilted toward the sky, raven bangs flying up and down in time to the motion._

_A small smile broke on Naruto's face. He wasn't a stranger to laughter being that he was surrounded by Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chouji most of the time. But…this boy's laughter…was refreshing. It was like jumping into a stream during a hot day even with clothing. It was like achieving a life-long dream._

_It was a laugh that showed that Sasuke was content and Naruto was the one who showed him the way._

_***End flashback*** _

"Naruto?"

The teen blinked and flopped back onto his bed, not caring about the startled "oof!" from his housemate. "Sorry. Just…lost in memories."

Sasuke was a bastard and a jerk with an enormous ego. He had changed ever since the mysterious death of his family and was so far beyond anyone else. But…what Naruto would give to hear the sound of that laugh again.

_If fate had been different…_

He smiled ruefully.

* * *

Cassandra closed her eyes and shut the window against the night air. It was getting chillier as the end of the month approached. By the time winter set in, the wooden hallways would be frigid. She would have to talk to Sasuke about fixing the heaters.

As she lay back against her mattress, blankets tucked snugly around her, her mind began to wander back to her encounter with Itachi. She frowned. _What the hell was he_ doing _here?_

It was too much to hope that her betrothed had been dead all those years after the Uchiha massacre.

And, remembering the faint flicker of mockery in Itachi's eyes…Cassandra's mouth tightened. The bastard had been _toying_ with her. She'd never pegged him as a sadist but judging from his actions today and what Sasuke had told her…it was a likely possibility.

_I was so stupid._

She hadn't told the younger Uchiha about her encounter with his brother though. The idea would upset him and—she winced. The last thing she needed was Sasuke thinking more about revenge. She would've had to hold him back from going after his brother.

_If_ _I_ _couldn't defeat him…if no one in his clan could defeat him_ _…_

Cassandra shook her head, lifting one hand to punch her pillow. The sorry fact was…she was _still_ engaged to marry Itachi even after all these years. Even without Fugaku and Mikoto, her own father had clearly forgotten to sever the promise made long ago.

_Does Itachi know that I'm still bound to him?_

She bit her lip angrily. She was her father's strongest child; the last child from his first wife Ayane. What was wrong with other candidates for her hand? Her father had easily married off her older sister Hatsumi to the free-spirited Usagi clan in Amegakure, and her brothers Yasuo and Tohru had selected two of the finest ladies in the Hyuuga Main House. Was she so vital that no one was good enough but a sociopathic murderer?

Although when Cassandra really thought about it, there had only been two threatening candidates her father had seen…and neither was fit for her status in the noble clans. In the elders' eyes, she had always chosen below her station.

The first was Neji of the Branch House of the illustrious Hyuuga clan. He had been the first real little boy she had ever met outside the family and they became friends. But he was of the Branch House and the Mikomi elders would never approve. At her stepmother's behest, Cassandra stopped accompanying her father and brothers to their house. She and Neji eventually grew apart and he forgot about her entirely.

The second was obviously Sasuke. As Itachi's little brother, he wasn't _nearly_ in the same league as his perfect sibling and both clans knew that. But while she'd felt awkward around Itachi, Cassandra had grown to care for Sasuke dearly…still did even though he wasn't the same little boy. But _she_ wasn't the same naïve little girl anymore either.

Thinking of the old Sasuke led to thoughts about her old friend Riaru. Cassandra sighed again, turning away from her pillow. She knew her distance was probably hurting Riaru although she highly doubted the ophan would dwell so much on it. _We've grown up now. She has Kiteru and Senko and the others…and…I'm different now._

The Cassandra that Riaru knew was a giggler and a tease. The Cassandra that Riaru knew did not pour over research and was less subdued.

_I was more open back then…and less cynical._ She grinned weakly. _It's only been four years. I sound like an old woman._

And yet her first link back to Riaru was not the ophan herself. It was Naruto. Naruto, the boy with the strange whisker marks. Naruto, the self-proclaimed goofball of the academy even though he'd finally calmed down.

_Naruto…the strange one._

Cassandra had always known there was something different about the blond warrior. She never mentioned her ideas to Sasuke for fear of getting scoffed at. But ever since her trip back from Suna, she was _positive_ Naruto was no ordinary human being. And she wanted to find out why. Not because she particularly cared about the boy, but she wanted to satisfy her curiosity. _He's a puzzle. I like puzzles._

"A-aniki…"

_Sasuke?_ Cassandra lifted her head, straining to hear. "Here we go again."

* * *

_"Father…Mother…"_

_Little Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks, his dark eyes wide with fear._ Who…did this? Who did this!

_His parents lay on the wooden floor of their house, surrounded by corpses and blood in small pools. A menacing figure stood in the shadows behind them. Moonlight streamed through the window, lighting up his harsh features._

_"Aniki?" Sasuke shook his head. "Aniki, Father and Mother are—"_

_A small throwing knife whizzed by his arm, slicing across the top and cutting into his clothing. Sasuke flinched and grabbed onto his arm._

_"Aniki?" He trembled, eyes filled with fear and anguish. "Mother…Father…who did this!"_

_"TSUKUYOMI!"_

"No Sasuke!" Cassandra grabbed the thrashing boy, wincing as he was once again subjected to his memories. Unluckily for him, he had a very _visual_ remembrance of that awful day. "Sasuke, wake up!"

_THWACK!_

One fist flew up and socked her on the cheek. "OW!" She ignored the pain and yanked him up against the bed. "Wake up Sasuke! It's just a dream!"

_How can he take this? How much longer do I have to see him suffer for something like this?_

A burst of magical aura sent her flying back against the floor. "Ugh…I hate it when he does that," she muttered. _Still…I have to get him up! Luckily, today's the last day…I think._ "SASUKE!" She stood up, wincing.

The raven-haired boy moaned and thrashed around for a few more minutes before shooting straight up in a sitting position. "GAH!" His longish bangs stuck to his sweaty forehead, his chest heaving in and out. _Kami…_

"Is…it over?"

Sasuke's head snapped to his left. Cassandra was slowly walking toward him as if her whole body was fragile.

"Cassandra?" _Kami…did I…hurt her again?_

The older girl slowly walked up to the side of the bed. She rubbed her purpling cheek. "Ow, I'm gonna feel that in the morning. I think you broke the skin."

He cursed under his breath. _I_ did _hurt her._ Grabbing Cassandra's arm, he pulled the sage forward until her knees were on the bed. "What did I do this time?"

"It's not your fault Sasuke. You were dreaming and I…I just tried to wake you up that's all."

"What did I _do?_ " Sasuke demanded. Shame was pooling in his veins.

Cassandra sighed and pulled her arm away so she could steady her body. "You punched me and your magical aura blasted me back against the wall." She didn't look at Sasuke. "That's it."

Another colorful curse escaped from the mage-warrior's mouth. _Perfect._ He glanced at Cassandra out of the corner of his eye. Was she afraid of him now? Did she think he was completely unstable?

"…sorry."

The girl raised her head sharply. "What are you apologizing for? I said I don't blame you okay? It was my fault for not wanting you to wait out the nightmare and…yeah. You warned me to stay away and all that."

"You were worried about me," responded the teen delicately. "Idiot."

"…yes. I was worried but…I should've known what to expect."

"Hn."

Cassandra nodded, aware of Sasuke's slow transition back into his icy self. "If you're not going to have any more violent dreams, I should go." _I know when to retreat._

The mage-warrior caught her arm again before she could move. "Wait."

"What?"

He glared at the blankets, suddenly feeling extremely embarrassed—and irritated with himself. _I shouldn't have to need this._ He didn't want Cassandra to stay but he couldn't bring himself to admit that the memories might return if she didn't.

_As much as I hate to admit it, her presence is soothing. Or maybe it's just real enough to disturb the memories._

Luckily, Cassandra saved him the trouble of asking. "Would you…like me to stay here?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Just don't be so eager to hold me or anything."

She snorted. "I'll try to restrain myself _Sasu_ ," she replied sarcastically before hoisting herself onto the bed beside him. The piney scent of rosemary rose and settled as her hair hit the pillows.

The Uchiha blinked but kept the surprise off of his emotionless face. _She hasn't called me that since I was little._

"But…I don't think I'll be able to chase the demons away."

_Neither do I,_ he thought before settling down to sleep again.

Cassandra eyed him for a few minutes before reaching out to stroke his hair. She thought better of it at the last second and snatched her fingers away. _I don't want them chopped off._ She lay back against the pillows, tucking the dark blanket around her body.

It wasn't long before Sasuke began to move around again, though a little less violently than before. The sage sat up, gazing at his shaking form with pity and concern. _Sasuke…_

Shaking her head, she reached out to take one of his hands. She was surprised to discover it wasn't much larger than her own, and only slightly more callused. "It's all right," she whispered. "It's all right…"

"Aniki…" Sasuke muttered. "…why?"

"Ssshh," Cassandra whispered back soothingly. _I really should be better at stuff like this._ Her thoughts drifted back to a long time ago when she had first met Riaru and Naruto. _That was a long time ago…but they were lonely too. Just like Sasuke is now._

_Loneliness…_

It was something she had never suffered from at all. Unlike them, she had a happy childhood save for the unwelcome engagement and the occasional tiffs with her stepmother. Her father Haru was a loving man, and the house was warm and devoid of the tension she'd associated with other noble families like the Hyuugas. If fate had been kinder…maybe she could have understood at the time. Maybe she could have intervened when intervention was most needed.

Her father and Hatsumi used to sing to her when she was very young. _"Mom used to sing it when we felt down,"_ they'd said. _"She would've wanted you to learn it considering you're not tone deaf like Raine."_

But time had changed…and they no longer sung. The words from her mother had faded away; too painful a memory to be brought up again. Her stepmother didn't sing anyway.

_Mom's song._

What else could she do that would comfort the present mind of an eight-year-old boy inside a teenager? What was different now that she had done in the past?

Cassandra closed her eyes, still holding Sasuke's hand—and then began to sing.

_Hush my little love_

_I will keep you safe_

_I will shield you from the rain_

_Listen to my voice_

_I am here for you_

_Until the sun will rise_

Sasuke stopped trembling although his brow furrowed in confusion. Encouraged, Cassandra continued; remembering the words as she went along.

_Hide your troubles now, I'm here_

_Dry your tears, there's nothing more to fear_

_There's another world_

_You are not alone  
_

_Soon they'll understand_

She slowly sat up straighter, her voice filling the void in the near silent room. Her voice was thin, but she tried to lift it as musically as she could.

_Don't you ever lose your sight_

_In this darkness, I can see the light_

_There's another world_

_You are not alone_

_Soon they'll understand  
_

Cassandra heard a soft sigh and felt Sasuke's hand become lax. _He's finally getting some rest._ She smiled and removed her fingers, reaching out to brush his raven hair out of his face. _Idiot._

_Hush my little love_

_I will keep you safe_

_I will shield you from the rain_

_Listen to my voice_

_I am here for you_

_Until the sun will rise_

She laid back again, her vision growing fuzzy as she allowed sleep to slowly take over. One hand drifted over to touch Sasuke's again. _Sleep tight…_

_Until the sun will rise  
_

* * *

_Maybe this won't be so bad._

Seiya had to admit that although Konoha could not be compared to the ophanin sanctuary, it was still a pretty place all the same. There were shops and houses, and even the occasional apartment complex. All of these were made of wood, plaster, or brick; layered over with paint or more texture. The elegance and cleanliness she was accustomed to had been toned down here among the humans. It seemed more…homely.

Still, Seiya did not want to draw attention so she shrunk her most obvious demonic trait: her wings. Also not willing to label herself as an obvious ophan, she'd chosen clothing that would resemble more of what the humans wore instead of the floaty robes and semi-formal attire of the high-born ophanin. She would have to cope with the strange vibrancy emitting from her hair and skin. Not even magic would be able to hide it well.

A few of the male humans sent her derogatory glances that indicated she was far from an unpleasant sight. Not used to such compliments, Seiya only smiled nervously back.

"Well this is a surprise."

_Eh?_ Seiya spun on her heel, blinking rapidly. Her lavender eyes landed on a familiar-looking man with a mask concealing more than half of his face. "Kakashi-san!"

_I haven't seen him a very long time._

Kakashi tilted his head, raising one hand in greeting. "How long as it been? Six months? A year? Tsunade give you a day-off?"

"Day-off?" Seiya repeated and then promptly shook her head. "Oh no Kakashi-san. I'm actually here on business. I'm on direct orders from Tsunade-sama to observe the human culture." She bowed courteously. "And for your earlier question, we haven't seen each other in precisely eight months."

"Maaa, that long eh?" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. _She must have a built-in calendar in her head or something._ His visible eye creased upward. "Time flies."

Seiya nodded slowly. "How have you been Kakashi-san? I imagine it must be difficult to get your students to behave."

"Not really," the Slayer Master replied cheerfully. He followed the young ophan down the busy street to the center square. A cart ladeled down with sumpteous dishes passed by them. "They're not as rowdy as you think Seiya."

"Ah." She glanced at a human family ducking into the Ichiraku Ramen shop. The parents noticed her and immediately glanced away. _So much for claiming anonymity._ "So do you know anything about the noble clans of this city?"

Kakashi eyed her strangely. _What don't I know?_ "Didn't Tsunade give you the four-one-one on them already?"

"Well…sort of…but I don't know _who_ I'm supposed to be looking for. For all I know, _you_ could be a member of a noble clan!" Seiya paused and glanced up at the man suspiciously. He sweatdropped. "You aren't part of one…are you?"

Kakashi shrugged, choosing not to answer her question. "There are many clans that help run Konoha, but there are only three established noble clans. There used to be four but…the last one died out years ago." He held up one hand, ticking off the names on his fingers. "Hyuuga…Aburame…and Mikomi. These three all hold elite ranking and status in the city, although they differ in structure and personality. The Hyuugas mainly consist of sages especially known for their unique eye trait called the Byakugan. The Aburames are our resident druids and a pretty reclusive lot. I don't know too much about them. And the Mikomis are well-known for their mastery of anima magic and powerful genetic aura."

Seiya nodded, struggling to grasp the information. _Wow. I didn't realize the clans differed in class types as well. I wonder if they're equal in strength._ She already did know a bit about the Mikomis having befriended the clan head or so she believed him to be. _Maybe Haru-san can help me with Tsunade-sama's later task._

In the midst of her musings, her lavender eyes traveled over the humans who had by now lost interest in her. They finally landed on an interesting-looking pair, the likes of which she had never seen before. Both had long hair hanging down to their waists and snowy white skin. Unlike the others, they had not even noticed her strange presence.

"Kakashi-san?"

"Hmmm?" Kakashi looked up from an orange book that Seiya did _not_ remember seeing him have earlier. Where had he yanked out from?

"Do you know who they are?" Finding it rude to point, she gestured with her eyes.

The slayer followed her line of sight and a small chuckle escaped from beneath his mask. His visible eye curved upward. "The girl is the heiress of the Hyuuga clan; Hinata. She's a pretty good cleric."

"I thought you said they were sages," said Seiya with a small frown.

"They are."

_Then…why? Now it's even more confusing._ The ophan messenger shook her head. "And…the male teen?" _If he is a male._

Kakashi almost laughed again at her careful language use. The ophanin really tried too hard to be different from the yokai. "Neji…her cousin."

"Ah." Seiya turned back to the pair who were saying goodbye to each other. The girl, Hinata, timidly bowed her head and turned to head into a large building that resembled a hospice of some sort. Her small fingers were fluttering close to her heart, a rosy hue dusting her cheeks.

_She's cute._

Neji turned away from her sharply and faced Seiya as if aware of her staring. The ophan's breath caught as she met his eyes; white tinged with a swirl of lavender gray. It was like peering into the wells of memory, the same glistening opacity of the moon flowers which bloomed in the sanctuary garden at night.

_Strange…but beautiful._

"Hmph. An ophan."

His voice was velvet filled to the brim with patronization. His opaque eyes hardened and Neji turned away, long brown hair pulling against the breeze. Seiya bit her lip. _Gee, what did I do?_

"Maa, don't mind him," Kakashi spoke up as if he could read the ophan's thoughts. "Neji always acts like that."

Seiya nodded although she could feel annoyance for the Hyuuga pooling in her stomach.

_Arrogant brat._

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other important stuff):
> 
> Konoyarou: means "you bastard!"
> 
> Hyoton: Diamond Missiles: means "Release Ice! Diamond Missiles." This attack is a more advanced version of a similar attack called "Ice Horns" and is one of Cassandra's favorite Ice attacks.
> 
> Eizou Shield: means "Reflection Shield." There are many different forms of shielding in this fictional world. This is one of the more powerful forms of a protective barrier that bounces the attack back onto the opponent.
> 
> Amaterasu: means "Goddess of the Sun (Heavenly Illumination)". Used by the advanced form of the Sharingan, it creates a mystical black fire that can cut through strong barriers. The fire is said to burn for 7 days and nights and can only be used sparingly. The "Ameterasu" used here is similar to the real technique initiated in the anime/manga, except it can also be used to harm opponents and burn into the marrow.
> 
> Hyoton: Missiles: means "Release Ice! Missiles!" This attack is a slightly weaker version of "Ice Horns" and is one of the basic forms of Ice attack.
> 
> Sukiyaki: this is a stew consisting of vegetables and beef often cooked in a nabe and dipped in raw egg. The vegetables usually used are green onion, shiitake mushrooms and chrysanthemum leaves. Occasionally, a person can add shirataki noodles and tofu to the stew and cook with either sugar or cooking sake (mirin) as what Riaru did.
> 
> Tadaima: means "I'm home!"
> 
> Ame and Iwa: cities in the Rain and Earth countries, they mean "Rain" and "Rock." Ame is more known for its seasonal showers, one of the reasons why Kiteru and Kirokose leave home so often. It is also a lesser known city surrounded by lush forests due to the rain. Iwa is a powerful city known for its warlike nature although it has been subdued. Its country is mostly rocky terrain that is left unexplored except by adventurous hunters.
> 
> Hatsumi: Cassandra's oldest sister, this name means "firstborn" or "beauty". Both will fit the character's nature entirely.
> 
> Yasuo: Cassandra's eldest brother and the second-oldest sibling. His name means "peaceful one"
> 
> Tohru: Cassandra's second-oldest brother and the third-oldest sibling. His name ironically means "second son."
> 
> Ayane: the name of Cassandra's mother means "colorful."
> 
> Raine: Cassandra's second-oldest sister, this name means "queen" or "wise ruler." (the former is more fitting actually heh)
> 
> *The use of the Sharingan and Byakugan will be very similar to their use in the Naruto universe with some exceptions (Ex: the Byakugan's ability to see chakra as chakra is not the main asset in this universe and the Sharingan will mainly focus on illusions and unlocking specific magical abilities). Other clan powers such as the Nara's shadows and the Yamanakas mind control will still be close to their original components.
> 
> **Akatsuki will still be appearing in this universe, but its purpose will be slightly different from the canon Naruto universe.
> 
> ***When a person uses magic in this universe, it is usually chanted within the person's mind (usually chanting in the mind comes from a lot of experience). This explains the italicized format. The only spells that will be uttered (usually under your breath) out loud will be long incantations. These spells are usually more dangerous since they take longer to execute.


	6. Diplomacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter did NOT turn out at ALL the way I planned. Characters got switched around and those who were supposed to have screentime ended up being shunted off to the next chapter 'cause they just wouldn't fit. This thing went through four re-writes b/c I wasn't satisfied and the chapter ended up even longer than I thought it would. Oh well. 
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters of the Naruto world belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the different classes of the academy come from a mix of different games ranging from RO, Dungeons and Dragons, and Fire Emblem. The attacks will range from my own thoughts, to Golden Sun, to the actual anime/manga Naruto. All unfamiliar peoples belong to me along with the new ideas relating classes and demons.

 

 

" _Find a truly original idea. It is the only way I will ever distinguish myself. It is the only way I will ever matter,"—_ John Nash, A Beautiful Mind

" _When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child. Now that I am a man, I have no more use for childish ways,"—_ Major Motoko Kusanagi, Ghost in the Shell

_Early morning was a rare beauty in Konoha because hardly anyone paid attention to it. The sky resembled a soft quilt of rose, cream, and pearl mist as it stretched over the awakening city. Clouds were slowly fusing together and losing their former shape as mere purple strips. The nocturnal crickets settled down for their daily siesta. Sparrows, rising early for their breakfast, chirped pleasantly in the branches of the forest trees. A tiny strip of light traced along the main gate and over Konoha's symbol of fire painted on its front.  
_

_The thing that Riaru loved about early mornings was that Konoha was barely awake and no one would think of looking at the sky. It was during this time that she enjoyed flying._

_No staring. No pointing. No shouts. Even the guards at the main gate ignored her in favor of catching up on forty winks.  
_

_She felt so free and light in the quiet air. Other birds chirped "hello" and "good morning." She stretched her wings out to their fullest extent to practice gliding. Her body swooped low into the clouds,_ _her wings lightly skimming their surface and upsetting their swirling pattern. The temperature was coolest around this time since the sun was only just beginning to peak over the horizon.  
_

_But no sooner had she landed right beside the main gate from another glorious trip among the clouds, a voice reached her ears from behind. A very…familiar voice._

_"So this is one of those secret hobbies you never told me about."_

_Riaru whirled around, tucking her white wings behind her. Her sapphire eyes widened in astonishment. "You…"_

_"Right," Cassie answered seriously. A small breeze tugged at the strands of black hair resting against her back. "It's me." She tilted her head, eyeing the ophan critically. "It's been awhile hasn't it?"_

_The green-haired girl nodded slowly._ She hasn't spoken to me in three months. _Part of her felt an enormous amount of joy swelling up in her abdomen but the other…the other part felt a lick of hurt. Her best friend had been avoiding her for so long and_ this _was the time she finally chose to speak up? Didn_ _'t_ _her parents emphasize on the importance of sleep? "What are you doing here Cassie?"_

_Cassie's sharp eyes met Riaru's serene ones. "I don't go by that name anymore."_

_"I thought you liked it."_

_"Well_ _…_ _I've grown up Riaru," replied Cassandra with a small laugh. It was short and detached; nothing like the cheerful giggles she remembered._

_Riaru blinked, the lick of hurt increasing. She'd called her "Riaru", not "Ri-chan"._ She really has changed. _"So what am I supposed to call you now?"_

_"Cassandra will do just fine," replied the mage airily. "It's a lot better than Mikomi-san, which is what a lot of people around here calls me. Except Sasuke and my family of course."_

_"Ah." The ophan shifted her weight from one foot to the other. For some reason, it felt very awkward speaking to her best friend. "How is living with Sasuke-san? I heard he was selected as your partner for the room and board arrangement."_

_Cassandra snorted and crossed her arms. "It's okay. Not great…but okay." Her voice was almost whispery. "He takes some getting used to."_

_Riaru tilted her head, confused. "I thought you were friends."_

_"Ha! We_ were _friends," replied the sable-haired girl. Riaru flinched. Cassandra never used to have this sardonic tone of voice._ She sounds so bitter. _"Nowadays, I can't even get the time of day from the guy. It_ _'s like he thinks it_ _'s_ my _fault we_ _'re stuck rooming together. I mean, of course Hiashi-sensei and my father had nothing to do with it._ _He's so…aargh!" She shook her head. "Sorry. I usually don't lose myself that easily."_

_This_ is what she defines as "okay?" _"Er…no it's fine. Um…" Riaru fought the urge to suddenly mimic Hinata Hyuuga and twiddle her fingers. Instead she brushed and tugged at her thin white dress, one of the few outfits she could fit easily over her wings when she shrunk them. "What did…were you just here to watch my flight pattern?"_

_"More or less," said Cassandra. Her voice was low and devoid of emotion._

_The ophan nodded._ I…I see. _There were so many questions she wanted to ask the older girl but none could form on her lips. What have you been doing all of this time? Have you been avoiding me? Are people pressuring you to stay away from me and Naruto? Is it because of Sasuke that you_ _'re so strange?_

_"Cassie…" The mage gave her an upraised look. "Um…I mean Cassandra…why were you…"_

_Cassandra raised her eyes to the streaks of lavender in the sky. The rays of light had drifted away from the main gate and were now gliding along the taller buildings of the city. "Hmph." The noise from her throat seemed like a different representation of Sasuke's trademark sound. It sounded strange to Riaru_ _'s ears_ _. "I have to get going. With any luck, my housemate should still be aslee—"_

_"WAIT!"_

_Fierce sapphire looked up at surprised ultramarine. Cassandra had always been taller than her. Riaru fisted her hands by her sides._ _"Why have you been avoiding me Cassie? Have I done something wrong?"_

_"Riaru—"_

_"You said you were my best friend and that you'd never abandon me no matter what. We used to play together…be around each other…_ talk _to each other!" said the young demon, her dark jade tresses rippling in the wind. "And now it's like…it's like we're strangers! You don_ _'t even call me 'Ri-chan_ _' anymore!_ _Is it because you have to spend more time with Sasuke-san? Is it because I have other friends? Or is it—" Her blue eyes narrowed. "—is it because you honestly have better things to do than waste time with a_ demon _like me?"_

_Cassandra's face took on that of shock before melting into cold disbelief. One hand reached out and grabbed the young ophan's wrist in a tight grip. In the faint light of the morning, Cassandra's hand looked thin and slender, tiny veins visible in the pale skin. Her own wrist held a much more healthy glow.  
_

_"You honestly think I'm that shallow?" the girl snapped. It didn't sound like a shriek of anger like what Naruto would have done, but a sharp hiss. And yet the tone sounded so much worse than any yell would have accomplished. "How many times do I have to tell you Riaru? I never gave a rat's ass_ _if you were a demon back when we were little and I sure as hell don't now. What other people in this town think of you has no effect on what_ I _think."_

Cassie never used to curse, _Riaru thought weakly._ Did she pick it up from Sasuke-san?

_She blinked, startled at her own thinking. Did she really believe that all of this influence was from the Uchiha boy?  
_

_Meanwhile, Cassandra was still talking. "There's no reason for you to act bipolar right now Riaru. I am_ not _jealous of the fact you have other friends; I actually like the idea that there are some people in this city besides Naruto who will treat you decently. And—" she pulled the demon closer. "—Sasuke has nothing to do with this."_

_There was hitch in Riaru's breath control. "So…you're admitting to avoiding me."_

_It was not a question._

_The older girl's face betrayed nothing. "I never said I was avoiding you. I'm_ not _avoiding you. It's just…" She sighed and released Riaru's hand. One of her dark bangs sloped to cover one eye. The shadows from the clouds curled lazily around them, forming figure eights and circles. "Look, things are different Riaru. I'm not…I'm not the same girl you used to know okay? We_ _'re not running off to play dates in the park, and we_ _'re certainly not little kids anymore._ _I'm fourteen…and ready to start training to become a sage. Life is going to be really tough for me from here on out so…I just don't have time anymore." She rubbed her forehead. "It's complicated."_

_"You don't have time for friendship?"_

_"There will always be time for friendship. But you_ _'re going to have to accept that friendship can carry a different weight now._ _I have things to deal with involving Sasuke and my training. I have to teach him how to be a strong mage. And I have to carry the honor of my family. I need_ _…I_ want _to be a strong person just like my father." Cassandra's eyes darted to the dirt ground. "There are some lessons…that can't just be learnt in school."_

_Riaru stared at her. "So you'll have time for Sasuke-san…but not for Naruto or me?" Her voice was trembling with hurt._

_"It's not…I suppose…" Cassandra shook her head before walking closer to the green-haired ophan and cupping the side of her face with one hand. "Riaru…I'll never stop being your friend. Know that. No matter what you might think…no matter if I don't talk to you like we used to…know that I'll never stop being your friend. Just give me some space and time to sort everything out."_

_"Cassie…"_

_Cassandra refrained from correcting her. "Just give me time." Her ultramarine eyes were shining with earnest appeal. "Okay?"_

* * *

Riaru opened her eyes slowly. _That dream…_ She sat up, pale orange sheets pooling around her waist.

She hadn't thought of the last time she and Cassie had spoken for a long time. _It's been four years since that day._ She sighed and rubbed at her eyes. Her hand rested against a large lump in the sheets. _I wonder what she's like now…and if she's forgotten me._

The thought saddened her.

Beside her, the misshapen lump of sheets and blankets began to groan and move. Riaru stared at it, blinking rapidly. _Um…what the…?_

The lump moved again and a sleepy head of messy blond hair emerged from beneath the hollow of the blankets. "(yawn) Guess it's time to get up."

Riaru began to twitch. "Oh…Kami…."

Naruto blinked, sleepy eyes suddenly clearing. "Ri…aru?"

"I…"

"Uh…"

Silence.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHH!"

* * *

Iruka looked up from one of his grading books, his plate almost clear of breakfast food. He smiled. "Ohayo Ri-chan, Naru—huh?"

His two housemates stumbled into the kitchen looking a little uneasy. Riaru seemed to be doing her best to will away a terrific blush on her cheeks while Naruto was rubbing the side of his head where a small bump was probably forming under the wild gold spikes.

"Um…bad night?" Iruka asked curiously.

_More like bad morning,_ Naruto thought grumpily, taking a seat the round table. _She didn't have to hit me. It wasn't_ my _fault she ended up falling asleep on_ my _bed!_ He shrugged and smiled at Iruka. "It's nothing. What's for breakfast?"

Beside him, Riaru made a noise of agreement. Some time after their talk about Sasuke Uchiha, she had fallen asleep on Naruto's bed and forgotten about it until this morning. She shook her head. _That was weird._

They were housemates but it still felt awkward. It was like finding yourself curled up beside your sibling and not knowing how you got there.

Iruka shrugged. Sometimes it was best not to pursue whatever was bothering the pair. It seemed harmless anyway. "You're up pretty early for a Saturday you two." He wiped his mouth with a paper napkin before reaching over to serve them eggs, toast, and sausage.

"I was thinking of spending some time in the Tenshi Garden," said Riaru. "And since it _is_ pretty early, I doubt I'll be bothered up there."

"I see." The Paragon Master nodded at the blond who was spearing slightly burnt sausages experimentally with a fork. "And what are you planning to do today Naruto?"

Naruto looked up, his eyes curving upward. "Uh I was actually planning on seeing if Ero-Sennin had anything to do today. I kinda wanna get some more training in." He shrugged. "After all, the exams are coming up."

"You better not try the academy then," said Iruka pointedly. "Most of the other students have probably adopted that same idea and could steal your tricks."

_That's true…but Ero-Sennin might be there._

Riaru piled her eggs between two pieces of toast and made a sandwich. Taking a bite, she asked, "Iruka-otousan, do you know what the exams will be like? I mean, it wouldn't hurt to give Naruto-kun an idea of what he's up against."

"Well…" The brunette stood up to deliver his plate to the sink. His brow furrowed in thought. "I don't know too much about how the others perform their examinations, but I do know that I expect _my_ students to be able to detect the most important things I emphasize on. For example, I will probably ask one of the clerics to demonstrate a proper healing spell or ointment to be used for severe stomach wounds without having to use stitches." Iruka smiled. "I don't think the other masters will be that specific but it's better to be safe."

_Knowing Kakashi-sensei, he'll be_ very _specific,_ thought Naruto darkly. _And I don't know if he works the same exam every time. Senko said that when she took hers, she had to literally fend for herself in the Forest of Death grounds for a whole day._

Although a part of him was worried about the exam coming to that, another part was hoping it would be challenging. Maybe not something of the Forest of Death's magnitude, but challenging nonetheless.

With the challenge came competition and Naruto knew that if he wanted to impress the exam proctors, he needed to make sure he was different from his peers. Slayers were only the best of the bunch of hopeful warriors. Which meant… "Iruka, is there any other way I can get some training done that's _different?_ " he asked. "I don't want to do the same things as everybody else." He shoved a sausage into his mouth.

Iruka frowned. "I think there might be something." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Something…" Then his face brightened. "I have an idea. I'll have to talk to Kakashi and Jiraiya-san about it, but I think they'll allow it."

"Allow what?" asked Riaru.

"I'll tell you later," said the paragon, walking to the door. "I have some paperwork I need to take care of, but I shouldn't be gone long. What time will you two be home?"

Riaru chewed on her sandwich and swallowed. "I won't stay for more than two hours in the garden. I should be back down here before lunchtime. Ichiraku's?" She glanced at Naruto, who shrugged. His eyes were more focused on breakfast.

"All right. I'll see you both for lunch."

* * *

Coincidentally, Sasuke decided to avoid going to the academy for a training session. Even though it was Saturday, the academy was still filled with the straggle of students who wanted to overachieve on their exams. More students meant less time actually training and more time dodging the gaggle of females that frequented the classrooms. He probably wouldn't be able to _find_ Kakashi.

Yesterday…Sasuke sighed and tightened the holster containing his practice weapons around his waist. Kami, he was glad that yesterday was finally over and done with. He could move on past the vivid nightmares and continue to train to the day he would face his brother. He had waited for so long. Itachi would finally pay...and his demons would be laid to rest.

Though he hated to admit it, he found that his refreshed state was mostly due to Cassandra's intervention. He didn't want to tell her that he _had_ been more or less awake while she was singing. And he certainly didn't want to tell her that she had a very…soothing but strained voice.

_I still have my pride if anything._

To desire companionship was a weakness that Sasuke did not need. It would just get in the way of strength. _Itachi_ certainly had no problems with severing his own relationships, and he was probably extremely powerful now. Still, he couldn't help but notice that his relationship with Cassandra was much improved today. She had the courtesy not to mention his nightmares or his brother, choosing different topics like the exams and training.

_It's like she's embarrassed._

Weird.

To his surprise, Cassandra openly stated that she would not be training with him on his mage abilities today. She also added that she was not teaching him anything new either.

"Before you say anything, it's not that I've gotten bored with you," she said. She was sitting on a cushion in front of a wooden table kept low to the ground, one of the few things he'd refused to throw away from the massacre. The surface was covered with scrolls and piles of paper. "And it's not because I have better things to do. It's just…I've been getting behind on my research." She snatched up a filled envelope and scribbled away on it.

"Research?"

"Something I've been doing on the side. It doesn't have anything to do with my classes with Anko-sensei, but more like…with a friend of mine." The sage tilted her head at him. "Why? You curious?"

_Maybe._ "Not really." Sasuke moved around her to reach for his bento resting on the kitchen counter. He'd already filled it with onigiri.

She tied a pale blue scarf around her head, knotting it in the back. "Not even a little? I mean, you must be surprised that I actually have friends now."

"Nope." Sasuke tucked the bento box into a small bag before walking to the front closet to remove his black coat. The weather was getting nippier, but he decided to forgo wearing the usual hooded cloak. It was too cumbersome and would only be a burden if he ran into any of his fan girls on the way. "I'll be back in the afternoon. You don't need to wait up for me for lunch."

Their easy camaraderie was beginning to unnerve him…just a bit. It reminded him of when they were little kids and he was too young to understand what trauma was.

Cassandra shook her head and chucked a scroll at him. He caught it easily. "See if you can read through some of those incantations. I was looking through some of my old books and wrote a few choice spells down. You might find them interesting." She stood up and darted toward her bedroom down the hall.

Sasuke glanced at the scroll and then at the departing back of his housemate. He almost felt like saying "thank you."

Almost.

* * *

Naruto was not surprised to discover that Jiraiya was not in his office when he arrived at the academy to search for him. The old pervert was probably spying on the women in the paragon changing rooms or something of that magnitude. What he _was_ surprised, though, was to find another person in the room that wasn't Jiraiya.

_Weird. Ero-Sennin didn't tell me he was taking on another student._ Naruto sighed, somewhat resentful. The hermit _should've_ mentioned something this important to him.

The other person, a young man from what Naruto could see, was currently facing away toward the window. He was admiring a case containing a display of polished swords and daggers. Sunlight from the windowpane flashed against the edges of the glass case and onto the young man's silver hair.

"Um…uh…" Naruto cleared his throat loudly.

The mystery boy turned around, the gleam of a slayer armband coming into view. His hazel green eyes widened in recognition. "Naruto Uzumaki?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. _I…I know you!_ "Cho…Chosun!" He blinked. "W-wha…what the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Chosun Okami ignored the question. "Where's Jiraiya-sensei? I was told to wait here by the Sarutobi-sama."

_Oh, so he's looking for the old pervert._ "No idea…but I can guess." Naruto stepped closer, eyeing the slayer. "Oi! Where have you been the last two years? Ever since you became a slayer early, you vanished."

Chosun shrugged. "I've been traveling and taking on missions in order to help support my family. Being one of the only males, I tend to bring home a lot of the income." He ignored Naruto's protests of "but _your_ family doesn't need extra income! You're rich!" and ran one hand along the glass case. "It's too dangerous for a slayer to keep in contact with others. What if the ways of communication get intercepted?"

Naruto nodded absently, still taking in the drastic change in Riaru's friend. Chosun used to have very spiky silver hair that was constantly a mess in front of his eyes and he mostly wore colors representing fire: red, dark orange, or black. He had also been shorter than average height with others in his class towering over him.

But now Chosun was taller, much taller than he used to be and heavily tanned from his various missions. His silver hair was now combed across his forehead in straight locks, slightly covering his hazel eyes, and his clothing was more of the bruise palette of black and blue. Even with the heavy blue jacket he wore, it was easy to make out the toned biceps and upper arms. An air of experience and seriousness radiated from his body and the metal slayer band was nicked in several places.

_I think he's still a loner though,_ Naruto thought vaguely. _And dangerous missions probably make that even worse._

And there was something on the side of his face. The blond warrior frowned and tilted his head at an angle to view it properly without being noticed. A jagged scar ran across his right cheek, beginning an inch away from the bottom of his eye and curving down like a crescent above his jawbone.

_Ugh. Where the hell did he get that? Shouldn't he have a healing spell that should fix it?_

"…everyone here?"

"Eh?" Naruto blinked, jerked out of his musings about Chosun's disturbing scar. "What was that?"

The older man sighed. "I was asking, how is everyone here?"

_Oh._ "Your friends are fine for the most part. You'd have to ask Riaru considering she hangs out with them more than I do. I know Kiteru and Kirokose are here even though I think they'll be leaving for home soon." He crimped an eyebrow knowingly. "You should stop by the hunter training grounds. Everyone's been wondering about you."

At the mention of the pair from Rain Country, Chosun's serious expression seemed to change—just a bit. "I see. Maybe later." He shifted. "I had no idea my presence was so sorely missed."

"Well it was for them," Naruto replied, moving over to the wall to set down his wrapped sword next to a neat pile of practice katanas. The old man wasn't due back for some time anyway. "Senko and Kiteru missed you the most; though don't ask them to admit to it. Senko kept going on about how you were the only half-decent slayer in the entire class, and Kiteru always asked the other Masters about you."

Chosun blinked. "D-did he now?" He rubbed the back of his neck, fingers brushing against his silver hair. "Glad to know my friends haven't completely forgotten me."

Naruto fought back a small smirk, noting the slight tremor in the normally stoic slayer's voice. _He was only paying attention to Kiteru's response to his departure. Interesting._ He shook his head. It was obvious that Kiteru's feelings for Chosun were less platonic than he claimed. Although after that comment, perhaps Chosun was not so unwilling to be more than friends with the hunter.

_Sssshhkkk._ The door of the classroom moved to the side with a small hiss and Jiraiya scurried through. He was stuffing a tiny notebook into the pocket of his gray-and-red jacket along with a small key.

His student raised his eyebrows. "What was that?"

"Never mind brat," the Myrmidon Master replied quickly. He raised a hand toward Chosun in greeting. "The elders told me you were in town. It's good to see you again." He nodded at Chosun's band. "How long are you staying?"

The slayer shifted uncomfortably. "Until my people call me back to Wind Country for another assignment which could be any time they please."

Jiraiya nodded in understanding. "Kept you on your feet at least. You should visit Kakashi sometime. He'll be glad to see you."

"If he even remembers me."

Naruto cleared his throat loudly. _Um…hello? I'm still in here you two! And you're wasting my training time Ero-Sennin!_

The older man blinked. "Oh sorry; forgot you were here gaki." He smirked at Naruto's irritated grumbling. "Er Chosun, would you mind leaving the room? This is a private training session and I don't think the brat would appreciate me keeping you here to steal his techniques."

_Hey! I wouldn't…how'd he know that?_

Chosun nodded. "I understand. Ja Naruto; Jiraiya-sensei." He bowed and walked through the sliding doors, closing them behind him.

Naruto gazed after him. _Wonder why he's back here instead of in Suna. Usually slayers return to their homes whenever they're done with missions._

"Are you going to waste my time standing there gaki?" Jiraiya grumbled, snatching up one of the practice katanas. "I'm missing a chance on some valuable research training you."

The blond slayer swung around, blue eyes focused on his instructor. _Research…riiiiight._ "Yeah. Yeah." He lifted up his own katana. "It's your own fault. If you weren't so late because of your _research,_ we both would be a lot happier."

"You just don't appreciate art."

Silence.

"…I can't believe you call that stuff you write 'art.'"

* * *

Even though the ophanin sanctuary was a beautiful place to behold—especially to the few humans who had ever set foot inside—the most stunning landmark was the Tenshi Garden. Much time and care had been taken in order to maintain its unique beauty.

The enormous garden was situated in its own lot near the southern edge of the sanctuary, not too far from the head ophan's mansion. The graceful archway that served as its entrance was decorated in a willow pattern and curling vines bloomed around its edges to create a curtain for visitors. A dirt path soon gave way to closely set stones resembling blue slate that branched off into different areas.

Selected members of the ophanin were allowed to care for the Tenshi Garden, although most were only allowed to stay for approximately four hours with a break in between. This was mostly to ensure their well-being.

Riaru was one of the selected ophanin in charge of caring for the garden and it was a job she delighted in. The garden was beautiful, but it was also peaceful and free from the fake polite stares she received from her own kind.

Her favorite spot was a large lake situated near the middle of the garden surrounded by day lilies and gentle green grasses. Irises and chrysanthemums bloomed in round patches around the edges of the lake where small shimmering fish preyed on tiny insects. Lotus plants sprouted out of the water in swirling butterfly patterns, revealing pink and white blossoms. A shady thicket of plum trees grew on one side of the shiny water, shading a rough stone with calligraphy etched onto its surface. The pebbles surrounding the stone were arranged in a pattern to match the changing clouds in the sky.

As the green-haired ophan approached the lake, she could hear the nearby waterfall emptying its blue waters down the slippery rocks. A weeping Snow Fountains tree spread over the side of the falls, creating an impression of a woodland grotto. White petals fell lazily into the water and created a separate carpet for the earth floor.

_Glad to see everything is still here._ Riaru sat down beside the irises and noticed a few that were dying. _Hmmm…_ Gently, she pressed her hands against the flower petals and slowly felt along the stems and leaves. Wispy trails of light flowed from her fingers and ran along the green stems, seeping into the plants' roots below. In her mind's eye she could see the wilting fibers within the plants and feel their need for nourishment.

_A little healing water will take care of that._

The yokai were known for their differing animal characteristics and forms, but the ophanin too had individual features that set them apart. A few, like Sekai Seiya, had a gift for music and listening to wandering souls through the hypnotic melodies. Others, like Lady Tsunade, were talented in the healing and physical strength field.

And then there was Riaru. According to some of the others who tended the garden, she had a gift for greenery as well as a healing in her fingers that would alleviate most forms of aches and pain.

Dipping her hands into the lake, Riaru felt along the stems of the irises and nodded. She could feel the life pushing underneath her fingertips. The warmth of the sun draped itself around her back, soaking her with its gentle rays despite the now cold wind rolling in due to the first month of autumn.

"I thought I'd find you here."

The young ophan lifted her head, startled. Normally if the other ophanin found her they wouldn't disturb her. Perhaps they found it a waste of their time.

Riaru cleared her throat. "Who's there?"

"You haven't really spoken to me so I don't expect you to know me right off the bat," said the voice with a small chuckle.

Curious (and a bit apprehensive), Riaru turned around. Her first impression of the woman before her was that she was absolutely beautiful. Then the light of recognition changed everything. "Tsu-Tsunade-sama!" She immediately bowed her head sheepishly, suddenly remembering her manners.

"Relax kid, that's not necessary." Tsunade waved her hand carelessly. "Mind if I watch what you're doing? I need a break."

Hesitantly, Riaru nodded. "I-if you wish to Tsunade-sama." She went back to tending to the irises, coaxing life out of their frail leaves. _That's right little ones. Try to grow._

Tsunade watched her thoughtfully, slightly impressed with the way the younger ophan seemed to patiently tend to the plants. She could see that Riaru would only be able to preserve their lives for another week at most, but she still wanted to save them.

"Riaru."

"Yes Tsunade-sama?" The girl looked up obediently.

"Did you get my message to Naruto?"

_Oh._ "Yes I did and I also gave it Iruka-otousan like you asked," said Riaru.

Tsunade nodded as silence fell once more except for a splash. The fish were flipping around, mouths sucking in water for oxygen. She had a feeling the girl was uncomfortable speaking to her freely but the absence of speech was getting on her nerves. _I don't know whether I'm being ignored or feared._

"Ne…Tsunade-sama?"

_Oh great._ Tsunade seized onto the question with relief. "What?"

"Have you ever…" Riaru swallowed and let her hands fall to the soft grass. "Have you ever had a friend that you really care about, but that friend doesn't seem to want anything to do with you anymore?"

The leader of the ophanin frowned. _Have I ever had a friend who I really cared about? Well sure there was Minato…and Hatori's still here. But I'm pretty sure Hatori still wants something to do with me if all those gambling nights mean anything._ She snickered inwardly.

Riaru gazed up at the woman. She didn't expect an answer from the powerful demon, but it would be some comfort if Tsunade could understand the situation.

_Not that I expect_ that _either._

"I don't believe I have," Tsunade answered calmly. "Why?"

"Well…you might think it's trivial."

"I might not," replied Tsunade. She sat down beside Riaru, drawing her trouser-clad legs up to rest her arms on them. She might need to wash the grass stains out later. "Go on. You can talk to me."

It pained her that this young girl (she _was_ only a girl after all) had never had the benefit of a mother or a sister to speak about her problems with. Oh there was Iruka but…Tsunade almost snorted at the image of _Iruka_ as a sympathetic mother-figure. One who kissed boo boos away and cooed lullabies to lull the kids to sleep.

_Oh Kami…_ that's _a keeper._

Riaru glanced at the shimmering lake, ignorant of the hilarious thoughts running through the older woman's head. "I have a friend…a human friend named Cassandra. She's part of the Mikomi clan. You know about that right?"

Tsunade nodded. She did know about the Mikomis; they were only one of the four noble clans in Konoha after all. _Which one was Cassandra?_

"I met her when I was really little…around eight years old. At the time, she was already friends with another kid…Sasuke Uchiha. All _I_ really had was Naruto." Riaru twined her fingers through the grass stems. They felt slippery. "I guess you could say she was my best friend. She accepted me for everything I was. She didn't care that I wasn't human.

"I remember she used to show me some of the magic she learned. She was always talented…even more so than people older than her. And I guess…that's when everything changed."

Tsunade frowned. _Changed huh?_

"Eventually Cassie went to study at the academy like most of the humans in Konoha after...after the tragedy seventeen years ago. And she became so involved with becoming an archsage like her father. I guess she's always been a little uncomfortable with the fact that she needs to live up to her family's status. Her mother was killed in the feud between the yokai and ophanin so…I guess she wanted to make sure she didn't end up like her. But I never got to see her anymore. I wasn't…I mean; I understood why she had other obligations so I didn't think anything of it. I made some new friends during this time so I hung out with them…but it wasn't the same."

Riaru sighed and plucked a few grass strands from the earthy floor. "The last time I really talked to Cassie was four years ago. She was a mage and training towards the next level of magical prowess. She was also…living with Sasuke Uchiha…still is now. We exchanged some bitter words. She told me…to call her 'Cassandra' now…and that we were changing. She would still be my friend but I would have to give her time."

Tsunade remained silent, diligently listening to her while the fish and insects continued to make noise.

"And it's been four years. How much… _time_ does she want? Whenever I see her in the academy or on the streets she doesn't notice me. It's like…she's treating me the way some people treat Naruto. It's like…I don't exist."

"And it hurts right?"

The ophan nodded slowly. "It's silly and I must sound annoying to you. Angsting away like this." She laughed nervously. "Not used to it."

"Aaah everyone needs a chance to angst once in a while," replied the older demon airily. She grinned. "Even sweet little _good_ ophanin like yourself."

At that, Riaru began to laugh. The sound caused the fish to cease flipping around in the water and the insects to fly away. _She really isn't your typical leader. Unlike the other ophanin, her company is quite enjoyable._ "I suppose so."

"Mmm…" Tsunade nudged her shoulder. "Seems like this Cassandra girl has different priorities. Did you ever ask her why she was living with Sasuke?"

"It's customary for would-be mages to live with another magic user in order to gain a more definite for the field I think," Riaru answered her. "It was pure coincidence that Sasuke-san and Cassie got stuck together…though if you ask the girls in the academy, it wasn't."

_Oh really?_ Tsunade suddenly smirked. "Is this Sasuke cute?" Her smirk grew when she noticed the tints of color reappearing on Riaru's face.

"Ah well…yes, he is attractive. _Very_ ," the girl admitted sheepishly. "He's almost too beautiful. He's not very nice though. He likes to insult Naruto a lot and he's very cold to everyone, even Cassie. But…there was a time when he was a nice boy…that was a long time ago of course."

Tsunade nodded, brown eyes narrowed in concentration. "I'm not exactly sure if I'm the right person to give you advice on friendship Riaru, but my best guess is that you have two options. One, you can continue to wait for Cassandra to talk to you again." _And something tells me you'll be waiting a long time._ "Or two, you can take the initiative and just go up to her. Corner her or something."

Riaru blinked. "You think that would work?" _I don't know…Cassie's pretty hard to find._

_Well it always works when Hatori and I get into arguments._ "Sure." Tsunade bumped her shoulder again. "Cheer up Riaru-chan. It's the weekend!" _The day is_ way _too nice to be spoiled by some bad friendship._

The blue-eyed girl nodded slowly and if she had heard Tsunade's thoughts, she gave no sign.

* * *

_"There are two set demonic races known to mankind: the yokai and the ophanin. Due to lack of sufficient data, it is difficult to determine which of the two races is the stronger despite their constant rivalry. However, it is not uncommon for the yokai to reach out to humans to continue their pro—"_

"Hey Cassandra, whatcha reading?" A slender hand reached down and snatched the book away.

_Damn._ The sage sat up from leaning against the old tree outside the Uchiha house. She blew a wisp of hair impatiently out of her eyes. "Give it back Raine."

"Aww. And what're you gonna do to me if I don't?" Raine waved the book tantalizingly. "You wouldn't hurt your own sister now would you?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. _Don't tempt me._ Raine had never been her favorite sibling in their father's large brood. Ignoring the older woman, she stood up and walked past her. As soon as she was out of visionary range, she spun one hand in order to control the flow of wind with her magic aura.

_"Fuuton."_

A rush of air pushed the book out of Raine's slack grip and propelled it back to its owner. Cassandra smirked. "Well gee; I didn't expect you to return it to me that quickly."

Raine snorted. "That wasn't fair Cass."

"It was perfectly fair. You could have used your own magic to keep it with you."

" _Right._ " The woman eyed the book suspiciously. "Where'd you get that thing anyway? Anko-sensei giving you death material for homework?"

Cassandra shook her head. "I got it from my friend in Suna. It helps me understand her brother's moods." _Well…he_ is _hard to figure out._ "Why? You want to borrow it for light reading?" The corners of her mouth tilted upward.

"Ugh, will you stop that?" Raine asked, waving a hand at her little sister's face. The sage was still grinning in that smug way. "That smirking; it's hideous. Where'd you pick it up from? Your friends at the academy?"

"Oh this?" Cassandra's smirk broadened. "Guess I've been hanging around Sasuke too much. I _do_ live with him after all." She shrugged, the smirk finally slipping from her face to Raine's relief. "What're you doing here anyway 'Nesan? I told you Sasuke doesn't like company over…not that he's here." _How'd you find me in this maze of a place anyway?_

Raine crossed her arms over her chest, looking her sister over. Having not spent much time at the Mikomi household since she'd moved in with Sasuke, Cassandra had not interacted with the family as of late. "Dad told me to get you to visit. You spend so much time with your 'boyfriend', it's like you're forgetting you have a family."

Cassandra frowned. "Sasuke's not my boyfriend."

"Tell that to the folks and your friends at the academy."

The younger girl crossed her arms. "He isn't…and I haven't forgotten I have a family. I just have a different place to call home right now." _Even though I still don't consider this lonely district home._ "And with the academy exams coming up, teaching Sasuke some of my tricks is taking up free time. Not to mention, I have research to deal with."

"Isn't that what your senseis are for?"

"It's just like normal schooling. You can only learn so much from the teacher." Cassandra gazed at her older sister. Like her other siblings, Raine acquired many of their father's physical traits such as his black-brown waves and glowing peach skin. Cassandra, except for inheriting the Mikomi ultramarine eyes, bore a striking resemblance to her late mother.

"So I research on my own when I have the time."

_Not that you'd understand what I'm studying about. It'd probably seem too weird for you._

"Uh huh," Raine mumbled absently. She held both arms akimbo, head tilted to one side so her short dark curls flopped against her neck and shoulder. "So are you coming or not? Dad wants to hear about your studies with Anko-sensei…and Sasuke," she added as an afterthought.

_Wonderful._ Cassandra sighed and opened the door to the house to toss her book back inside. _Plop!_ A wave of wind helped it land neatly on the low table.

"All right."

* * *

Naruto didn't see Chosun when he walked out of Jiraiya's room two hours later, sweaty and exhausted. Eager to get back to _whatever_ he had been doing, the hermit worked him to his limits. This was, by far, an impressive feat as it took forever for Naruto to feel the strains of exertion (though he didn't know why).

_I wonder if he went to the slayers' room like Ero-Sennin suggested._

He also had not seen Sasuke since yesterday at the graveyard. It _was_ the weekend but the blond highly doubted the other boy would be spending it relaxing.

_It would make it easier for me though. If he actually took time off like normal people, I would get further than him. Heh heh. That'll show him.  
_

"You're blocking the halls Uzumaki."

Naruto turned around, eyes suddenly squinting into curved half-moons. His muscles protested the motion. "If I'm blocking the halls, what are _you_ doing?"

Kiba Inuzuka rolled his dark eyes. "I'm waiting for Shikamaru and Chouji to finish up with their training with Asuma-sensei." He leaned against the wall lazily, running a hand through his messy brown hair. His body had undergone a lot of changes since their days of playing tag. All of the old baby fat had melted away to compact muscle, though not enough to be considered bulky. "Oh by the way, guess who I saw walking down the other hall a few minutes ago?"

"Chosun right?"

Kiba blinked. "Uh right…how'd you figure _that_ out?"

"Saw him in Ero-Sennin's training room two hours ago," Naruto replied casually with a shrug. "Do the others know about him yet?" _I wonder if he's still in the building._

"I dunno." Kiba mimicked his shrug. "The guy didn't say much to me. Just sorta nodded like this." He did an imitation of a vague dip of the head. "It's weird seeing him back here considering he graduated and all."

Naruto nodded. _Yeah._ He leaned against the smooth wall next to a classroom. "Oh…where's Akamaru?" He only just realized the absence of Kiba's furry, barking companion.

The other warrior shrugged, scratching at the red triangle tattoos on his face. "Left him at home for today. He was gettin' kinda antsy waiting around in class yesterday."

"Oh." The blond shifted in his spot, for once running out of small talk topics. _C'mon, make up for the awkward silence._ "You think you're ready for these exams?"

"They're in another month Naruto."

"Yeah I know, but you've been training a lot for them haven't you?" Naruto crimped an eye at his companion.

Kiba snorted. "Of course I've been training. I don't wanna fail and get stuck as a warrior for another whole year. I mean, being a warrior isn't that bad but it _would_ be nice to move up in ranks y'know?"

Naruto did know. Becoming a slayer was another step on his path toward acknowledgement. He wanted that respect more than anything.

Well that and to surpass Sasuke.

The door to the classroom slid open and Chouji stumbled out, his wide girth covered in plated armor visible first. Shikamaru soon followed, beady black eyes set in their usual bored state. His brown hair was pulled back so tight into its ponytail, Naruto could almost see white stretch lines along his forehead. "I told you not to overdo it on the attack Chouji," he was muttering.

Chouji turned around to face him. "I couldn't help it Shikamaru. When I pick up steam, I can't really stop it."

"Unless you smack into a brick wall."

"Um…yeah, that sounds about right."

Naruto pushed himself away from the wall. "Hey guys," he said with a small wave. "How was class?"

Shikamaru shrugged with one shoulder. He didn't really feel like discussing school, especially since he was only here to help Chouji.

His large friend grinned good-naturedly, the red swirls on his cheeks standing out even more than usual. "It went pretty well. Asuma-sensei just worked with me on perfecting the turns on my special ability. Unfortunately, I went too far and made a hole in the wall. They'll have to patch it up." He placed one chubby hand on his stomach. "I'm hungry."

_No surprise,_ Naruto and Kiba thought simultaneously.

Shikamaru sighed and rubbed his neck. "It's almost lunchtime. You guys wanna grab something with Chouji and me?"

Kiba nodded but Naruto declined the invitation. "Iruka wants me to meet him for lunch." He walked down the hallway, calling over his shoulder, "Rain check?"

Shikamaru nodded absently although Kiba couldn't help adding, "But Naruto, it _isn't_ raining outside."

* * *

"All right Neji. You can stop now. We'll continue this when you've rested a bit."

Neji took a deep breath. That last spell had taken a lot out of him, especially since he had performed it several times in order to get it right. Sometimes he wondered if it was worth being a perfectionist if it affected his stamina.

Off to the side of the enormous yard, Hiashi watched his nephew move underneath a shady grove. He was slightly pleased with the boy's progress in increasing his strength as a sage. Neji was a very diligent worker, albeit a bit arrogant but that was to be expected of a Hyuuga. It was trait that was passed down through generations.

Neji leaned his head against a rough tree. The brown bark nearly blended in with his hair, painting it with occasional brushstrokes of darker sienna. He gazed up through the green canopy the leaves made. The dirt ground was hard and compact from the years of lack of grass.

The practice session today had jogged his memories, transporting him back to when he was around five years old. He remembered training with his father as a child in this same yard in the Hyuuga Compound. He had rested against this very same tree. His father would be against the one next to it, his lips pulled up in a secret smile.

Neji shook his head. _I can't afford to have these distracting thoughts._ He opened his pale eyes and saw Hinata sliding open the door of the main house to step outside. She was carrying a tray of dorayaki.

"Neji-nisan, how is your training going?" Her lavender-white eyes were soft against her pale skin.

He cast her a minute smile. "Fine." Straightening (leaning against a rough tree was not worth a bad back), he asked, "Was there anyone in the classrooms today?"

"It _is_ the weekend, so there were only a few," his cousin replied softly. She lowered her head. "I only recognized Naruto-kun, Lee-san, and Sakura-san for the brief minutes I was walking through the halls." She blushed at the sudden mention of Naruto's name.

"I see." The boy accepted an offered dorayaki. The blush from his cousin had not gone unnoticed. "I'll go by there later to see when the exams are taking place. You _are_ taking them this year aren't you?" His white irises were surprisingly sharp.

Hinata bit into her own pancake-like confection. "Y-yes! Of course I will. It's just…" she sighed and lowered the dorayaki. "I don't know what the Main House will think…h-having their heir as a specialist in healing."

Neji shook his head. He actually did not completely approve of Hinata's choice of profession himself, but he knew that becoming a paragon suited her more than anything else. She never had enjoyed strenuous activity such as fighting or using magical aura to manipulate the elements.

"They'll grow to respect you Hinata-sama," he said in what he hoped was a confident tone. Neji was not known for his kindness. "While the healing classes are portrayed as being weak, they require a great deal of patience that most people do not have. And you'll be useful when the slayers or hunters require a healer. Maybe it's something you were destined to do."

The young girl looked up and smiled. "You really believe so Neji-nisan?"

"I don't lie," he replied before taking a bit of the dorayaki. It was quite good really.

Hinata's shy smile broadened and she also took a bite of her own dorayaki, taking comfort in his presence.

"Neji-nisan?"

"Yes Hinata-sama?"

"I was meaning to ask…who was that girl that you glared at yesterday evening?"

Neji stopped eating and gave his cousin his full attention. "What?"

The younger Hyuuga blinked and twisted a lock of purple-black hair around her finger shyly. The leaves of the tree cast dappling shadows across her face like freckles. "Well…I-I mean….before I left to go into the hospital, you were glaring at this girl across the street. She was the pretty one with the light green hair." Her white eyes were curious. "Did you know her from somewhere?"

_Oh so she means the ophan that was roaming around Konoha._ Neji slowly shook his head. "No I didn't."

"Oh…well…okay, because I wanted to know why you were glaring at her. I don't think she was doing a-anything wrong right?"

_She's not exactly a welcome addition to the city,_ thought Neji darkly. _I'm not against the ophanin the way most of Konoha's citizens are; but she made me uncomfortable with her staring. And I don't_ like _feeling uncomfortable._

"Not really."

* * *

It was strange being back home in the Mikomi compound. The whole place, with its houses and fountains and storefronts, was enormous but too crowded…too suffocating. With the amount of children and adults running around the buildings though, that last wasn't a surprise.

Cassandra almost found herself longing for Sasuke to be there with her. She had grown used to the younger boy's silent, but solid presence by her side over the years. _It makes facing my stepmother a little more bearable._

Then again…she didn't want her sisters to gawk at the boy as if he were a statue on display (even it was amusing). He would never forgive her.

Raine had gone on ahead into the main room to announce her arrival so Cassandra was free to examine the changes in her old house. The front entryway was the same as ever with its step and bristly mat for scrapping shoes. And yet she found some differences. _The giant pot with that plant is still there…the rug's probably been washed recently…floors are now wooden instead of tiled…when did they find the time to redo them?_

"Nee-san!"

The girl jerked her blue eyes away from the gleaming enamel table with two vases on its center, and focused on the source of the voice. _Yukina._

Her fourteen-year-old half-sister tugged on her arm. "I didn't know you were coming! Raine didn't say anything!"

"She didn't?" Cassandra smirked. Yukina was actually her favorite sibling in her large family, followed closely by her brother Tohru. "Figures."

Yukina bobbed up and down on the balls of her feet excitedly. "I better go tell the guys you're here. They'll be happy to see you." She raced off before Cassandra could protest, her long brown braid flapping behind her. Her body nearly collided with a woman entering the front room.

"Cassandra."

"That's me." She knew _that_ voice. The air around her suddenly felt constricting. "How are you Kirika?"

"I'm fine," replied the woman, her brows furrowing. "How is everything going for you?"

"All right," answered Cassandra cautiously. She did not despise her stepmother, but there were tinges of resentment in their relationship that refused to go away. Perhaps it was there because Cassandra resembled Ayane, Haru's first wife, in many ways and Kirika found her to be a competitor for his affections.

_It's ridiculous of course. I may look like my mother, but I don't think I act like her._ She gazed coolly back into Kirika's dreary-looking eyes. _Maybe the real reason she doesn't exactly_ like _me is because she had to actually_ raise _me. It's probably weird raising someone else's child._

Fleetingly, she wondered if Iruka felt that way. It was obvious that Naruto, and especially Riaru, weren't his actual kids. _He'd have been way too young for that to be true. And Riaru isn't human._

Kirika's gray irises traveled over her daughter-in-law. The girl had grown taller than her so she had to look up in order to meet her face. There was an air of seriousness that wasn't there before. _That's different._

Yet Cassandra's initial appearance was not altered so much and it bothered her. How was it that someone who had only known her mother for barely a year could turn out to be so similar to her?

"CASSIE!"

Both women were jerked out of their observations at the sound of Haru's joyful baritone. The man strode quickly over to his daughter and threw his arms around her back. "It's so good to see you!" He picked her up and twirled her around, nearly knocking over the vases on the enamel table.

Cassandra allowed a genuine smile to appear on her face. "Hey Dad." She returned the hug warmly. "Sorry I haven't been around."

"It's okay." He pulled back. "I understand you have a lot of responsibilities now what with your recent upgrade and new class. But you shouldn't forget about us even when your work gets tough. Not to mention Sasuke-kun." He grinned mischievously. "Is he treating you nicely?"

She sighed. _In his own cold-hearted way._ "Yes _Dad._ He's been a good boy if that's what you're implying."

Her father laughed, ultramarine eyes twinkling. "Just checking. Your relatives _have_ been talking and we figured that—"

"Oh brother."

"—something was bound to be up between you two. I can't help being a little worried for my baby can I?"

At this, Cassandra snickered despite the obvious sting of being called a "baby." _No Dad, I suppose you can't. But you don't need to be worried about him trying anything. He_ ' _s not interested in me, especially since I_ ' _m promised as his brother_ ' _s bride._

Kirika cleared her throat loudly. It sounded like an annoyed bull.

"Oh…excuse me," said Haru. He ran one hand through his graying dark hair in embarrassment. "Sorry honey, were you still standing there? I thought you went into the main room without me."

"No I stayed to watch you greet your daughter," replied the woman through clenched teeth. Cassandra marveled at her father's ability to understand the words. "Why don't we take this into the main room? I'll send for someone to bring some refreshments in."

Haru nodded. "Sounds good. Any particular thing you want Cassie?"

Cassandra stared hard at her stepmother and then smirked. "Onigiri and tomato if you got it."

"I thought you hated tomatoes," said Kirika with a small frown.

"Well…maybe I've never given them a chance."

_Maybe I don't have to have Sasuke here after all._

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei!" One of the warrior students stuck his head into the masked man's office. "One of the teachers is here to see you."

Kakashi looked up from reading his book. He lowered his feet, which were propped up on the wooden desk in front of him, to the ground. "Who?"

"It's Iruka-sensei." The student frowned in confusion. "He says he needs to talk to you about exam preparations. It's kinda weird though isn't it? I thought you guys had different types of exams."

"We do," replied Kakashi, waving the orange Icha Icha Paradise at the teen. "Get him in here."

Before the kid could move, the door opened wider to reveal the Paragon Master. Iruka had a slightly annoyed expression on his face.

The masked slayer's visible eye tilted up into a happy curve. "Why Iruka, where did you come from?" he asked pleasantly.

Iruka snorted and motioned for the young student to leave the room. "I've _been_ here Kakashi." Shutting (and locking) the door, he said, "I need to speak to you about Naruto."

Kakashi turned a page of his book. "He's not failing," he replied, motioning for Iruka to sit down in one of the squashy chairs against the wall.

The paragon obliged him. "I know that…but…"

"But what?"

"It's not that he's becoming bored with your classes Kakashi, because he isn't. It's just…well…" Iruka rubbed his neck nervously. "We were talking this morning and he said that he wants to do something new. He wants to be different from the other students." He laughed. "I guess Naruto's always wanted to stand out."

_The question is…is that a good thing or a bad thing?_

The Slayer Master marked a page in his orange book and set it down on the desk. "So you want me to recommend something for him."

"That's what I was hoping," said Iruka. "Look, I'll understand if you don't think it's a good idea. It would probably be considered 'favoritism' or something."

Kakashi, though, was not listening to the other man's protests. He rubbed his covered chin thoughtfully. _So he wants something different from his usual training and my classes._

Many of the other students would consider training on their own as something different from the rest of their peers. _It isn't enough for Naruto though._ He glanced around the room. _Perhaps what he needs…is a change of pace…and scenery._

"I have an idea."

Iruka nodded. "Yeah?"

"You said that Naruto wants to try something different. Well, why don't we give him a chance to practice elsewhere? He's accustomed to fighting with the other warriors in the training rooms, and I'll bet he's memorized most of the terrain in Konoha."

"So you're suggesting that we take the training somewhere else?" Iruka asked. "But…how is that be considered any different from his normal training?"

"The terrain is different so he'll need to adjust," replied the slayer calmly. "A good slayer must be able to adapt to his or her surroundings in addition to standing up to an enemy. If Naruto is too used to the area around here, then he won't be able to protect himself anywhere else." He stood up. "Besides, some techniques are pretty useless when taught here…but if used elsewhere…" He waved his hand. "You see my point?"

The brown-haired man nodded slowly. "I get it." He silently allowed his eyes to travel around the room. It was pretty plain, but since Kakashi rarely spent time in his office, that was to be expected. All he needed was a desk, a pile of scrolls and books, some chairs, and a small decoration to keep him happy. He turned back to the slayer. "So where are you thinking of sending him?"

Kakashi stopped beside a woven scroll with a mountain scene etched onto it. He gazed at it with his visible eye.

"Ever consider Wind Country?"

"Wind Country?" repeated Iruka. He blinked his large dark eyes. "You're not thinking of sending him to Suna are you?"

The masked slayer turned toward Iruka. One eye curved upward. "That's _exactly_ what I'm thinking of doing. The region there is pretty harsh so he'll have plenty of elements to adapt to. Plus, it's the closest city within our tight-knit alliance."

"But if he wishes to survive, he can't just rely on slayer skills!" Iruka protested. He wasn't sure if his idea was looking so great anymore. "I mean…that area relies on a lot of—"

"Magic," Kakashi finished calmly. The happy curve had not vanished. "So he'll need someone to train him in that as well."

"Not _you?_ "

"I'm no expert on spell-casting or potion brewing. But…I believe I know someone who does that won't have any qualms about visiting that place again."

* * *

_I wonder how Kankurou is keeping up with the responsibilities of being a leader. Glad I didn't take the job even if it_ was _offered to me._

Subaku no Temari sighed and shielded her eyes from the outdoor sun. The weather around Suna was being its usual unmerciful self. Surprisingly, her younger brother wasn't affected by the heat; too focused on their visitor.

"So what's the situation up there Sei?"

Seiya brushed a hand across her pale sweaty brow. Her gossamer clothing and wings seemed to wilt. _It's so hot here. Whichever ophan said that humans can't survive horrendous temperature clearly hasn't been here._ "Lady Tsunade wants to extend a hand of friendship to the Land of Fire again. She wishes to put the 'incident' in the past and move on. There's nothing I can do but hope to convince the noble clans that mainly control the place."

"I see." Temari glanced at her younger brother whose fiery red hair seemed to shimmer even more so in the heat. "Gaara?"

"Is there anything regarding Suna?" The teen's voice was emotionless.

The ophan shivered and shook her head. "Nothing," she whispered. "I don't think she wants your city to be the one to persuade Konoha for us. Even if you _are_ allied nations, we want to do this ourselves."

Gaara nodded slowly. "Trust is hard enough to earn. It's nearly impossible to regain."

Temari and Seiya stared at him. _Wonder if he's talking from experience._

"Speaking of Tsunade-sama, I ought to get back to the sanctuary." Seiya nodded at the official-looking scroll in Temari's hands. "Make sure that goes to Kankurou-san. It contains details about the other alliances." She handed over a letter. "And this is for you Gaara-san."

He stared at the letter. "From who?"

"It's from Cassandra in Konoha."

At the mention of the sage's name, Gaara's emotionless expression changed just a tiny bit. His eyes seemed to light up.

Temari eyed the letter and then raised questioning eyes to Seiya. "I'm not completely isolated from the city so I've made a few acquaintances," the ophan explained. "I was there earlier finding the locations of the noble clan housing and she found me. She told me to deliver this to Gaara since I'm on good terms with your people again."

Temari nodded. "I see." _It's been a long time since we've heard from Cassandra. I wonder how she's doing back home without all the sand._

"There isn't much, but she said it should tell you a bit about what you need to know."

The young man's pastel eyes narrowed. "Ah."

Temari glanced at her brother in confusion. "About what?"

"Control."

* * *

_"Dispel!"_

The curling fire dragon fizzled out and Sasuke dropped heavily to the ground with his sword clattering beside him. His breath came out in shallow pants.

_I guess that's all I can do for now._

He had been training for three hours nonstop, except when switching from mage to warrior techniques. The two classes could work together, but their methods of offense and defense were completely different. Warriors preferred to attack head-on while mages would stay back and execute attacks from afar.

Sasuke eyed the scroll containing Cassandra's spells critically. He had skimmed through it quickly before reading the details. The spells were all of the intermediate level, going beyond the simple formation of the elements and actually creating creature silhouettes. There were two he paid attention to in particular, being that they relied on his innate ability to control fire.

_Let's try this one more time before I take a break._

He picked up his practice katana. _"Kato—"_

"OI SASUKE-TEME!"

The spell died on his lips and Sasuke whipped his head around to glare in the direction of the interruption. "What do _you_ want?"

Naruto ignored the question and glanced around the secluded clearing. Several posts and stones were cut and littered the ground. Wooden training dummies were lopsided; a few were singed. "So this is _your_ training ground. I was wondering who it belonged to."

_Did he even hear me?_ "Usuratonkachi," he muttered.

"HEY!"

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. So much for training…unless he decided to use Naruto as target practice. The idea was beginning to look _very_ appealing.

"What are you doing here?"

Naruto glanced at the other boy. "I always pass by this place on my way back home. This is the first time I've seen _you_ here though."

His rival shifted his weight from one foot to the other, eyes not leaving Naruto. "I don't stay here every weekend. I have other priorities like normal people."

_Even though I'm not considered normal._

"Eh." The blond warrior shrugged. "I guess." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Soooo..." he pointed at Cassandra's scroll. "What's that?"

Sasuke scowled. "None of your business." He shoved the scroll out of sight.

"Ooooh so you're doing something illegal?" Naruto asked him gleefully. His blue eyes became slits of mischievous delight.

If angered facial expressions could be used as weapons…Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He would gladly wield _this_ one. "Tch. I'm not an idiot like you. I wouldn't waste my time on illegal stuff…dobe."

"Don't _call_ me that!"

_I can't help that you_ are _one,_ thought the Uchiha smugly. He sheathed his katana and wakazashi and strapped them back onto his weapons holster. The other boy's azure eyes were boring into his back.

"What?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nothing. It's just…I was gonna ask if you were feeling better today. Considering yesterday…" His voice trailed off and he scratched his neck. "I had a chat with Riaru last night and she said one of the reasons you act the way you do is because of your family."

Sasuke didn't turn around.

"So I guess I can understand a bit of where you're coming from. I mean, you were really little when you lost them right? A year after you and I first met." Naruto tried to laugh and failed. "Uh…so…I guess I'm sorry for pestering you. I wasn't being considerate."

Now Sasuke _did_ turn around to stare at the other warrior with slightly widened eyes. Was the clumsy idiot actually acting his age…and apologizing?

The weather really WAS getting colder.

"Oi! This doesn't change anything!" Naruto pointed at him fiercely. The sun streamed through his vivid hair, casting shadows where his bangs met his forehead. "I'm still going to beat you! Just because I'm feeling nice today doesn't mean we're suddenly friends."

_So much for acting his age._ The onyx-eyed boy shifted uncomfortably. "Right. Got it." He glanced at a nearby tree, imagining what it would be like to have it burn up slowly. Or maybe he could electrocute it.

Kakashi _had_ said his lightning abilities were exceeding most of the other elements...except for fire. That element had always been strong in his family.

"Hey Sasuke?"

_You're_ still _here?_ Sasuke faced Naruto again. "If you're done with me then you should leave. I need to return to—"

"Training?" the warrior finished for him. A smirk stretched across his face. "Everybody needs a break from that, including so-called perfect people like you. If you continue, you'll wear yourself out and what'll your fan club think?"

Sasuke frowned. _Actually they'll be pleased because then they'll think they can tend to my injuries with loving care._ He told Naruto so and almost laughed at the annoyed look on the teen's face.

"Yeah I guess they'll do that." Naruto sighed and scratched at a callus forming on the knuckles of his hand. "So…since I'm saying you need a break and all…do you wanna go have lunch with me?"

_Huh?_ Sasuke nearly allowed his jaw to drop open. Luckily, he caught himself. "Lunch? With _you?_ "

Naruto laughed and shook his head. "Don't say it like you think it's the plague teme. It's not a date. I'm meeting Riaru and Iruka for lunch so…you can come with me if you want." His sunshine smile rapidly dissolved into a puzzled frown. "If you don't want to go, just say so."

The Uchiha furrowed his dark brows. _Does he really want me to go that badly?_

"Unless you have plans with Cassandra for lunch. Although, knowing you, I doubt it," said Naruto with a low chuckle.

Sasuke remained silent, weighing his options. On the one hand, he felt strange "hanging out" with the idiot. Eventually they would be at each other's throats. But on the other, he sorta enjoyed the neutral status they were heading toward.

He had a feeling he was making the loudmouth teen nervous by not saying anything.

"What are we eating? Ramen?" Everybody knew the blond idiot's unhealthy obsession with the noodles and broth.

Naruto blinked. "Uh…does that mean you're coming to eat after all?" His cobalt eyes went wide.

Sasuke shrugged."I asked what we were eating didn't I?" He brushed past Naruto and headed off toward the main road that would lead back to the city square. "Don't mistake this for anything. I'm not offering a hand of friendship just because I'm _eating_ with you."

The blond teen's eyes curved into slits of suppressed delight. "Yeah. _Sure_."

"…baka."

* * *

If there was one thing Cassandra had not expected, it was for her entire immediate family to be in the main room of the house. Everyone was scattered around on the couches and chairs, even standing around the tiny tables. "What are you all doing here?"

Yukina glanced at her. "Well Tohru felt like visiting from the Hyuuga Compound and Hatsumi came all the way from Rain Country to show Dad his new granddaughter. It was pure coincidence that _you_ would drop in too Nee-san."

"I…see."

Hatsumi, her oldest sister, waved to her from the couch. It looked as if pregnancy had not altered her beautiful features in the slightest. Her black-brown hair still looked impossibly shiny and her skin radiated a healthy glow. "Cassie-chan! It's been awhile." She was holding a small bundle in her arms.

_I guess I'll let that name thing pass._

"Hi Hatsumi."

Tohru, her second oldest brother, brushed past her. "Gotta use the bathroom! Nice to see you again Cassie!" His pregnant wife, Noriko Hyuuga, shook her head.

"Ah."

Over on the other side of the room, she could see her oldest brother Yasuo and his wife Kei Hyuuga speaking quietly to each other while their toddler son Miro chased his sister Nui around them. His pale eyes seemed to be glimmering with unabashed glee. She wondered if Tohru's future child would be given that much freedom back in the Hyuuga Compound.

An image of a younger Neji Hyuuga passed through her head and she smiled sadly. _I doubt it._

She cast her darkening blue irises around the room once more. Raine was speaking to Hatsumi and her husband Kien Usagi in the other corner. Haru was laughing merrily at something Kirika said while gesturing to the baby in Hatsumi's arms. Niran, her stepbrother, was sneaking sushi from one of the plates on the tables.

_I feel like a stranger observing the Mikomi brood in its natural habitat,_ she thought with amusement. _Who needs to be a fly on the wall?_

"Nee-san?" Yukina was looking at her with concern. "You okay?" She was holding out an onigiri with tomato, just what she ordered.

The sage nodded. "I'm fine Imouto." She accepted the triangle-shaped lump of rice and umiboshi and bit into it. The tangy taste of the tomato swam through her senses and she forced it down. "Just…getting used to being around the family."

"It's been a while for you," Yukina agreed cheerfully. "But it's nice to have you around again."

"Ah."

_Maybe I'm not completely a stranger._

Just then, Raine chose to look up from her conversation with Hatsumi and Kien. "So Cassie, tell us how you're doing in school." Her thin brows lifted in amusement. "Anko-sensei should be interesting."

Cassandra frowned and swallowed her mouthful of onigiri. "I'm doing all right. Studying dark magic isn't an easy feat so I have to keep on my toes. It's good that Anko-sensei is a good teacher since studying without her isn't really advisable." _Especially with the spells she teaches us._

Her father nodded from his comfy armchair, smiling. "That's Anko for you. Nothing like a little danger to spice up the classroom life." He helped himself to an anpan from one of the snack plates. "I know you'll do well. You got one of the highest scores in Hiashi's class after all."

She reddened and shook her head. "It wasn't easy. I didn't inherit _that_ much raw talent Dad." _And light magic is easier than dark magic…and less dangerous._

It might have been the wrong thing to say to an all-powerful archsage who just so happened to be her father. Luckily, he was a doting father. "Of course you did Cassie! You're _my_ kid after all." He chuckled and bit into the anpan.

Beside him, Kirika snorted and poked at a pork-filled nikuman bun. "You'd think he didn't have any other kids," she muttered under her breath.

Haru didn't catch the resentful tone in her speech but Yukina did. The young teen sighed. _I guess it's weird that Mother seems to be jealous of Cassandra._

What both females didn't realize was that Cassandra had also caught the small utterance from Kirika's mouth. She grimaced. It was a known family fact that she was a favorite, but she wished her father would keep his affections to a minimum when the others were present. Half of the time, she didn't know _why_ she was her father's favorite anyway.

_Is it because I could be stronger than everyone in here…or is because I'm just a painful reminder of my mother?  
_

"What about before your exams? I heard you went to train in Suna for six months," said Yasuo. "How was _that_ little ordeal?"

"It wasn't much of an ordeal," Cassandra told him. "It was just more useful to train in Suna. There were less distractions and I was able to build up a resistance to some of the terrain there. And I…I also made a few new friends." At this she averted her older brother's curious gaze.

Raine noticed the exchange—and grinned. "Oh _those_ kinds of friends."

"Get your mind out of the gutter. They're just different, but not in that sense." _Especially Gaara. I don't even wanna_ start _explaining about him._

Tohru had returned from his bathroom break and the air suddenly became stifling. Cassandra retreated to the doorway leading into the big room, but she still felt penned in. _This is one of the few reasons why I'm grateful for the Uchiha mansion. I have more than enough breathing space. And at least I know Sasuke doesn't hate me…as opposed to my stepmother._ She snorted. _Raine must've put me on the spot on purpose._

Not wanting to stay in the somewhat claustrophobic space her large family created, the sage quickly thanked her father for inviting her over (apologizing that she wasn't staying) and made her exit. Tohru's wife stared after her. "What's the matter with her?"

Raine shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe she feels she's too cool now to be around us."

"I don't think Cassandra cares about being cool," replied Yasuo lightly. "And we're family."

"I dunno. All those times she hangs around Sasuke Uchiha…even when she was a little kid she seemed to have a thing for him."

Haru laughed and choked on his anpan. Kirika smacked him on the back. "As long as she doesn't get the idea of marrying him into her head," she said firmly, "then there's no harm. She knows she can't anyway."

Yukina sighed. _Maybe it's a good thing Cassandra left._

* * *

The Ichiraku Ramen Shop was not what would be considered gourmet if a visitor decided to try the local food in Konoha. That is, unless you were speaking to Naruto Uzumaki because then the restaurant would _sound_ like fine dining. It was just a simple-looking shop with an outdoor booth of round spinning stools overlooking the main city streets.

Yet the service was friendly even to outsiders so Riaru grew to appreciate the shop as much as her housemate did. The ramen wasn't half-bad either.

She stepped into the shop, not bothering to lift the curtains draped over the roof's edges. She was still small enough to walk in without needing to duck.

"Konnichiwa!"

Ayame, the daughter of the man in charge of the ramen shop, stood up from her kneeling position behind the counter. "Konnichiwa Riaru-chan! Are you here alone today?"

The ophan shook her head. "No. I'm meeting Naruto and Iruka-otousan for lunch. They should be here soon." _Although I_ am _surprised that I'm the first one here. Usually it would be Naruto._

The brunette smiled. "I see. Do you want to give me your order now or do you want to wait for the others."

Riaru glanced around the small restaurant, resting her hands on the polished counter. There was nobody else in sight despite it being the lunch hour. "I'll have shoyu ramen with chicken please. Oh, and I don't need any chili oil."

"Got that!" Ayame said with a bright smile. Her father came in from the back of the shop, ready for work. The slightly salty smell of ramen broth filled the interior of the building.

The ophan propped her chin on both hands, watching the people of the city outside. She spotted Senko and Kirokose racing off across to the opposite side of the street. _I wonder what they're up to?_

The curtains in front of the shop lifted and Naruto walked in, followed by a surly black-haired boy. "Glad you could make it Naru—" Riaru's eyes widened and her wings twitched. "Sasuke-san?"

Said stoic boy only grunted in acknowledgement and took a seat on one of the stools, leaving a space between him and the ophan. Naruto took his standard place beside Riaru, reaching over to grab a pair of chopsticks.

"Naruto?" Riaru leaned in to whisper against his ear. "Did you invite Sasuke-san to eat with us?" _Or is he just here on his own and him coming in with you was pure coincidence?_

Her housemate nodded. "I did."

"Why?" She glanced at Sasuke, who was busy fiddling with his chopsticks. "I thought you hated him."

"Well…" Naruto shrugged. "It was kinda spontaneous. I was passing by him training and the idea just popped into my head. It's not that I'm feeling sorry for him or anything."

Riaru tilted her head at him, raising one green eyebrow.

"Uh…not really."

_Riiiiiiight._ She waved a hand at Ayame and Teuchi. "I already ordered for myself Naruto so you can go ahead." _As long as Naruto isn't resorting to having himself pay for Sasuke-san's meal, it's all right._

"YATTA!" The blond teen cheered, acting more like a seven-year-old than a seven _teen_ -year-old. Sasuke rolled his eyes and Riaru resisted the urge to copy his example.

Naruto quickly ordered for himself (miso ramen with double helpings of pork) before leaning behind Riaru to jab his stoic companion in the side. "You should order too."

Sasuke shot him a sharp glare. Riaru glanced at him nervously. "You don't have to if you don't want to Sasuke-san. I mean, I'm pretty sure Naruto dragged you into this." He shifted his onyx gaze to her and she quailed. "I mean…it's your choice. Take your time."

He sighed and drummed his fingers on the wooden countertop. "I'll have shoyu ramen." Riaru shot him a strange look which he ignored. "And a glass of water."

_He ordered the same thing as I did._ Riaru shook her head. _It must've been pure coincidence. There's no way he would have known I have the same dish._

With Ayame and Teuchi behind the counter fixing up their orders, the trio now found themselves the victims of awkward silence. Naruto shifted in his seat, hands coming up to rest behind his head. Riaru, in the middle, shifted a sapphire gaze back and forth between the two warriors. Sasuke rested his chin on his steepled fingers.

Silence. Wonderful wonderful awkward silence.

_Well…this is great,_ thought the ophan. She lowered her head so that her green locks covered her face. _I wish Iruka-otousan was here._

A swirl of icy air twisted and curled around her legs, causing her to look up. _What the…?_

Sasuke, however, twisted around in his seat so that he was facing the source of the chilling aura. His own fiery aura reached out to meet it. "Did you seek me out?"

Riaru and Naruto turned and found themselves facing the newest customer entering the ramen shop, lifting the curtains just a little bit. "Maybe I did in order to test your ability to sense me without _seeing_ me." Vivid blue eyes locked onto his face. "You're getting better."

"Ca…" Riaru felt her throat close around the name and she forced it out. "C-Cassie."

The raven-haired girl settled those same eyes on her and they widened a fraction. "Riaru."

_Oh of all the timing._

The tension was high and hot as their blue eyes connected. Naruto glanced at his housemate worriedly, chewing on his bottom lip. Sasuke crossed his arms, a flicker of confusion traveling across his pale features.

Iruka chose that _exact_ moment to enter into the ramen shop.

* * *

Gaara said nothing to his sister after the ophan left. He merely nodded his head slightly (out of respect) and made his way to the roof of the building where his brother worked. The sun continued to beat down on him but he didn't care about the heat.

He shut his eyes as a whorl of wind and sand passed over him. It felt scratchy…and very good.

The letter from Cassandra was still unopened. Inside him, the demon shifted and rolled over in its sleep. Sighing, he slit open the envelope and withdrew two sheets of paper.

_Gaara,_

_I don't know how long it's been since my delivery of this letter to you. I guess it depends on how fast the mail service is around here. In any case, I hope you get this before we both have our mid-life crises. Oh wait, you're already having it, haha._

_Sorry. Bad joke._

_I'm keeping my word. I didn't really tell anyone much about my training in Suna and if they asked, I only gave vague answers._ Very _vague mind you. I may have mentioned making some new friends…but I didn't call you by name. I know when to keep my mouth shut._

_I've been studying the effects you've told me about. I don't know if there are any others like you…that are alive I mean. If I recall, yokai births are difficult even for female yokai so it's unusual for a human and the demon baby to survive. However, if what you've told me is true, then your symptoms are probably related more to your own demon than actual yokai belief._

_The other paper should detail some of the effects I have researched. At the moment, I still don't know what to do about your sleepless nights. I'll try to tackle that though; there has to be a breakthrough._

_Maybe I'll get the chance to visit you and your siblings again. I can't possibly think of an excuse though. Who knows? You're probably glad I'm not butting in during your bloodlust days at any rate._

_Cassandra_

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow. He had never been an expert on humor, so he didn't know if that last sentence was supposed to be serious or funny.

_She's a strange girl._

But he should have guessed that. Any girl that was inclined to befriend a demon who nearly killed her was bound to be strange.

The demon…Gaara's pale green eyes narrowed and he clutched at his arm. It was his secret…Suna's secret. Most of the visitors thought he drew his power from ordinary magic aura. Many believed him to be a highly powerful sage or druid…who just preferred the earth element.

If only they knew what was _really_ going on inside Gaara's body. He wasn't exactly a demon, but he wasn't human either. Not enough anyway.

There was no proper reason to point fingers, but he knew he could place a large amount of the blame on his bastard of a father. That is, if the yokai was alive or not. He had never laid eyes on him.

Kankurou had nearly flipped when he realized the truth; that Gaara wasn't exactly his brother and wasn't exactly fully human. He and Temari had learned the easy way by asking their father some demanding questions. The citizens of Suna, on the other hand, had figured out the hard way when he had fallen asleep during the stages when the demon fully materialized in his body.

Gaara chuckled. That had been fun…if there was a definition to fun in _his_ book.

While not exactly evil, the inner demon he dubbed "Shukaku" was not considered "good." He was malicious and bloodthirsty and sadistic to a great extent. Gaara did not risk sleeping unless Shukaku was asleep as well, because the demon was known for taking over his body and doing whatever he pleased. In the early stages, Gaara would wake up to bits of blood clinging to his clothing and an exhausted body.

The demon was a secret kept away from the outside world beyond Suna. He didn't care, but Kankurou and Temari _did_. No one had to know the truth.

Until Cassandra.

But that had been a mistake; some sort of miscalculation. He had encountered many people who were unable to separate the demonic aura from basic magic. He didn't think he would one day encounter one who _would_ be able to.

"Hey Gaara."

The redhead remained where he was although he could make out his brother behind him. There was no mistaking that face paint that Kankurou refused to part with even as leader of the city.

"I got a notice from Chosun in Konoha. Seems like we're getting some visitors soon."

_Why should_ I _find that interesting?_

"He said that Kakashi, one of the teachers there, is assigning him a mission. He's supposed to protect our new visitors and lead them here." Kankurou tilted his head. "I thought you should know…one of the visitors he suggested…is kinda like you."

Gaara turned around. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm saying he isn't human…not really anyway."

* * *

Naruto shifted uncomfortably on his stool. Iruka had managed to break the tension in the previous scene but it was still there in undertones. Cassandra had turned away from Riaru's hurt blue gaze and hoisted herself onto the other stool beside Sasuke. The ophan, in response, had turned away to speak to Iruka.

_This is so weird._ Naruto shook his head and propped it on one fist, barely missing the steaming bowl of ramen Ayame set in front of him. He smiled at her gratefully over the savory vapor.

Off to the side, Teuchi was handing Sasuke his shoyu ramen while putting out a glass of water for the dark-haired sage at the same time. Sasuke nodded and pressed his fingers together politely in "thanks" before slowly digging in.

Iruka reached around Riaru to nudge Naruto's shoulder. "Aren't you going to eat?"

_Uh right._ Blinking, Naruto brought the noodles to his mouth; slurping them up quickly. Sometimes it was a wonder he didn't swallow his own chopsticks by mistake. _There_ have _been a few close calls._

He could feel eyes on him and half-turned to see Cassandra staring at his inhaling of the ramen with amusement. She shook her head and turned back to Sasuke, whispering something inaudible. Sasuke said nothing.

Naruto shrugged and sucked in another mouthful of noodles and broth. "So did you find anything from Kakashi-sensei? I didn't see you talk to Ero…Jiraiya-san…unless you did after I left." _I hope Iruka didn't notice the slip._

Luckily, Iruka didn't notice. "I couldn't find Jiraiya-san anywhere. The other students said he had some important matters to catch up on." Naruto fought back a disbelieved snort. "I _did_ manage to speak to Kakashi though, and he suggested that you need to focus your training elsewhere."

"What does that mean?" Riaru asked, twirling her chopsticks around noodle coils. The sauce slipped and slid off them. "Are you sending Naruto away somewhere?"

"Well not exactly." The brunette neatly took a pair of wrapped chopsticks from their holder and snapped them in half. "He's assigning Chosun to supervise your training and to guide you to the city of Suna."

He failed to notice Cassandra and Sasuke glance up and shift their attention to him.

Naruto nodded, ears pricking up. "So I'm off to Suna huh?" He picked up a piece of pork and chewed at it enthusiastically. "How many of the other students go there to train?"

"Not many. I don't remember anyone in the clerics or warrior's department that's gone there without proper transportation," said Iruka thoughtfully. He rubbed his chin. "And in the mage department, only one person decided to forgo transportation. That was—"

"Me."

Iruka, Riaru, and Naruto swiveled in their seats (Naruto gulping down some more pork). Cassandra was staring at the wooden countertop, fingers conjuring extra ice cubes to add to her glass of water. Ayame was watching in awe.

"I was the only one to travel to Suna on foot," Cassandra said. "Funny that you're thinking about going _there_ to train instead of staying here. The road to Suna's not fun I'll tell you." She smiled knowingly. "Don't tell me. You need an alternative route for the exams don'tcha?"

Sasuke paused in consuming his shoyu ramen; suddenly seemed very interested in what Naruto had to say.

The blond bit his lip, annoyed with the smug look the sage had on her face. _She doesn't miss a trick does she?_ "Yeah so?"

"Soooo, you probably need Chosun because you don't know the route to the city very well and that's his home," Cassandra went on. "On the way, you'll learn how to adapt your skills to the different terrain and learn how to survive outside the comforts of this place." She grinned. "Should be fun."

"Why are you so interested Cassie?" Riaru piped up from behind Iruka's back.

The sage shrugged. "What does it matter if I'm interested?" She sipped her water, catching a few stray droplets with her tongue. She glanced at Sasuke. "I don't think I'm the only one."

Sasuke said nothing but his eyes narrowed. Naruto noticed and couldn't help but suppress a shudder at the intensity in those pitch black orbs. _I can't tell if he's pissed off or curious. I really can't._

"Well…" Cassandra downed the rest of her water and then stood up. "I'm off to do some more research." At this, Naruto snorted with laughter. "What?"

"Oh nothing," he replied, covering his mouth with one hand. It wouldn't do any good to tell the older girl what his own teacher thought of as "research."

The girl shrugged. "Okay." She bowed in front of Iruka and the two restaurant owners. "I'm very sorry, but I must take my leave." Her blue irises made contact with Sasuke's.

_"I'll see you later."_

_"…okay."_

Then her eyes traveled over to Riaru. The ophan's sapphire eyes were wide and seemed to be pleading with her. Cassandra shook her head.

"Cassie—"

"Some other time Riaru," she interrupted. Her eyes conveyed more words: _Some other time. I promise._

Turning around, the sage left the small ramen shop. Naruto, Iruka, and Riaru watched her go, but Sasuke turned back to his ramen. He didn't look quite so hungry any more.

Riaru also turned back to her plate of ramen, her face crestfallen. However, there was a spring of hope bubbling inside her abdomen. _She said "some other time." So that means she hasn't forgotten about our friendship._

She picked up a stray noodle with her chopsticks, sucking it smoothly into her mouth in a way that would have made Naruto proud. The blond himself was eyeing Iruka suspiciously.

_It looks like he's thinking about something. Does it have something to do with Cassandra? And…_ Naruto shifted his gaze to Sasuke. The Uchiha was calmly chewing the vegetables in his bowl of broth. _Great. Sasuke knows about my little "training idea." Who's to say he's not gonna steal it for his own?_

"Sasuke-kun."

The raven-haired boy glanced up, reaching for his glass of water. "Yes Iruka-sensei?"

"I was wondering if perhaps…you know how long Cassandra was in the city of Suna."

He frowned politely. "Six months. Why?"

Iruka nodded, brows furrowed. Naruto watched him with a growing sense of unease. _I don't know if I like where this is going._

"Can you do me a small favor?"

Sasuke's frown grew. "Depends on the favor."

The Paragon Master leaned over and whispered into his ear. Naruto hastily wolfed down more ramen, all the while keeping a wary eye on the Uchiha's expression. The dark eyes widened and then narrowed. Iruka moved his head away. "You got that?"

"Yeah." Sasuke nodded. He stood up and placed the money for his food on the counter. "I'll be sure to tell her." He turned around, raising a hand. "Ja Iruka-sensei, Riaru." His eyes managed to catch Naruto's and there was no superiority in the darkness this time. "Naruto."

Then he vanished.

_Eeeeeeeh?_

Riaru glanced at her flustered housemate. "What's wrong?"

"Um…just not used to Sasuke-teme calling me by my real name…I guess. He hardly ever does." Naruto scratched behind his head awkwardly. _Usually he calls me some "wonderful" insult._ "What did you tell him Iruka?"

The brunette reached for a napkin as Teuchi set a steaming bowl of beef ramen with egg in front of him. "Naruto…I know you're not on very _good_ terms with Sasuke but…you're improving right?"

Naruto shrugged. "I guess so. But what does this have to do with any of that?"

"If Cassandra were to assist in training you and guiding you to Suna, would you be totally against Sasuke coming along?"

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other important stuff):
> 
> Tenshi: means "Angel."
> 
> Fuuton: means "Release Wind!"
> 
> Yukina: Cassandra's half-sister and youngest blood sibling. Her name means "snow."
> 
> Haru: Cassandra's father and a renowned archsage, his name means "spring". It could also mean "tranquil" (not sure if that fits his personality).
> 
> Kirika: Cassandra's step-mother, the name is derived from the character "Kirika" from the anime Noir. The name's meaning is unknown.
> 
> Niran: Cassandra's step-brother and Kirika's son from a previous marriage. His name meaning is "eternal."
> 
> Dorayaki: a type of Japanese snack that resembles two pancakes made from sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup (a sponge cake). The cakes are wrapped around sweet bean paste filling.
> 
> Imouto: means "little sister."
> 
> Anpan: is a kind of Japanese sweet bun filled with red bean paste. There are many different types of anpan with the most well-known being anko with azuki bean.
> 
> Nikuman bun: is a white Japanese bun similar to a chuka man (Chinese-style steamed bun). It is made from flower dough and filled with cooked ground pork or something else.
> 
> Shoyu ramen: ramen soup made by adding a soy-based sauce to the broth. Chicken and vegetables are also added along with black pepper or chili oil for seasoning.
> 
> Yatta!: means "All right!", "ready", or "it's done." The first definition is the main one.
> 
> I have no promises as to how often this will be updated people, considering my horrendous courses at college and all. So just be patient with me…if you can (laughs nervously). You can offer me feedback if you wish.
> 
> Oh yes, on an added note, the pace of the story may be slow for now but that's only because I'm trying to proceed with the plot as well as character development. To me, those play a much bigger role right now than action or romance so you'll have to bear with it. Once Naruto gets to Suna anyway...there'll be plenty of stuff to contend with then.
> 
> Until then!


	7. Gaara

_"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind,"-Dr. Seuss_

"I can't believe I had to be saddled with _you_ for the trip."

"It's not like I'm fond of you either moron."

"This was supposed to be my training exercise. _Mine._ And then you and your girlfriend had to come along and take it just because it sounded good."

"She isn't my girlfriend, and you should know better than to discuss suitable training exercises in a public area. Besides, if I remember correctly, Iruka-sensei was the one who gave you the idea."

"It still gave you no right to leech off of it!"

" _Your_ guardian gave _us_ permission to tag along usuratonkachi."

"You could have said no!"

Cassandra spun around, eyeing the two arguing boys with disdain. _So much for team morale. How the hell am I supposed to teach either of them anything if they keep competing for who is going to be alpha? They're worse than my sisters when it was their "time of the month"…or Gaara when it's his…when the full moon's out._

It had taken a lot of persuasion on Iruka's part—and a good deal of whining on Naruto's part—but the group had finally set off for Sunagakure that Monday. Chosun had told them to take only the essential supplies and tools in light backpacks, as well as lighter clothing for when they reached the desert. He also advised Naruto and Sasuke to leave behind their practice katanas and blunted daggers. Real weapons were preferred.

They had only departed from Konoha three hours ago, and the infamous duo had been at each other's throats the entire time (or so it felt like). Chosun had made the spineless but smart decision of traveling ahead of the group at a considerable distance. This left Cassandra in charge of the squabbling.

"Okay seriously, this is getting us—guys. Hey I'm sure we can work—guys you're not…look, we can work this out. Listen to me, I…guys." The boys continued to squabble with Naruto's voice growing louder and Sasuke's eyes beginning to carry a familiar tinge of red. She groaned. _Damn it. This is REALLY getting on my nerves!_

"GUYS!"

Sasuke and Naruto stopped glaring at each other long enough to face her.

"Unless you two want me to use you as moving targets for your first day of training, I suggest you stop arguing and pay attention. Arguing isn't going to help either of you pass your exam." Cassandra placed her hands on her hips, a firm frown set on her pretty face. "Do I make myself clear?"

The boys glanced at each other. Sasuke made a small noise of assent before turning away to focus his glare at a nearby giant tree, imagining it crumbling into dust. Naruto gazed at the earth floor, grumbling about "girls who liked to play 'sensei'".

"Good," said the sage. Smiling, she turned to greet Chosun who was just making his way back through the trees. The slayer had been scanning the perimeter of the forest they were traveling around along with the shortcuts to the Wind Country. "All safe?"

He shrugged in an inscrutable fashion. "Quite. No caravans or possible bandits in sight." One finger pointed at the bright blue sky. The afternoon sun was at an angle to where his finger was directing. "I've been keeping track of the time. At the rate we're going, it'll take about a day to leave Fire Country completely and another three days to reach Suna if we take the shortest route through River Country. We'll be able to make a stop in Tanzaku Town for extra supplies this way."

"Does that mean we're moving too slow for you?" Naruto asked, yanking the strap of his backpack over one shoulder. The strap snagged on his black jacket buttons. "Damn it," he muttered, prying it loose.

The slayer shook his head. "Normally, I _do_ move at a faster pace than this, but moving at a slower pace will help your preparations for the exam." He continued walking, his reinforced shoes making prints in the dirt. "Special skills and talents won't get you anywhere if the location doesn't befit you. You need to know exactly what to do under _any_ circumstances no matter how dire. With slayers, there's no room for hesitation. A moment's hesitation could spell a loophole for the enemy. For you, death or worse."

He said all of this as if he were reading a particularly dull textbook.

 _He's just a regular bundle of joy isn't he?_ Naruto thought with amusement. A green leaf, tinged with yellow, blew in front of his face from one of the trees. He exhaled, sending it over to the side to rest on top of Sasuke's dark hair. The other teen ignored it.

"Let's go boys," said Cassandra briskly. "We've got a lot of ground to cover before our first stop."

* * *

_I change my mind. What am I getting myself into? I really should have considered a different job._

Seiya was beginning to have serious doubts about this mission that Tsunade tasked her with. She was no diplomat, having barely any say in the ophanin council meetings, and her role in the sanctuary was not treated as great importance.

 _Why should any of the humans care about what_ I _have to say?_

But a mission was a mission, and like a good messenger she would uphold her duty to Tsunade-sama.

 _So where do I need to go? Someplace that resembles a large tower?_ She glanced down at the bound scroll, the first name popping up. _Hmmm…it's the Hyu…Hyuuga clan._ Her face blanched. _Didn't Kakashi-san say something about them being really powerful and renowned? Don't tell me I have_ _to talk to them!_

With a frantic peruse of the scroll, Seiya opted to find an easier clan to speak to as a warm-up. _I won't be as nervous around the Hyuuga clan if there are others._

"Are you lost?"

The question came from a girl who looked a little younger than her. Seiya blinked and lowered the scroll. No, it wasn't a trick of the light. The girl's hair was definitely pink.

_That's an odd color on a human.  
_

"Um…did you hear me?" The girl's bright green eyes were curious. Seiya could see a lighter shade of green around the dark pupil. "I don't think I've seen someone like you around here."

Seiya smiled foolishly. "Um…sorry. I've just never seen…" She shook her head. "Never mind. I was wondering…do you know where there's a place around here that has a tower?" The scroll was tucked back into her sash.

The pink-haired girl frowned. "Hmm…um…I think you're referring to Shuryo's Tower." She shrugged. "I suppose I could show you where it is. It's not that hard to find." With a toss of her head, she walked down the paved street. The ophan hurried after her. "Sooo getting back to my original question…were you lost?"

"Not exactly," replied Seiya. She glanced at one of the shops they passed. A young girl with pale blonde hair was arranging brightly-colored blossoms in a vase at the large window. "I've been around this city before. I just don't know the specifics." _I hope she's not going to ask me about why I need to visit the tower._ "Thank you for going out of your way to help me…err…"

"Sakura," the girl supplied promptly. Her head tilted to one side, catching sunlight in her vivid hair. "What's your name?"

"Seiya." _And that's all you have to say. You don't have to tell her you're an ophan._ She was familiar with how the people of Konoha viewed demons. There was no telling if this Sakura was an exception to prove the general opinion.

Sakura nodded. "Nice to meet you," she said. A passerby waved to her. She returned it, eyes now on the forks in the street up ahead. "I take it since you don't know the way to Shuryo's Tower; you're not exactly a typical visitor." She took the right fork.

The ophan nodded, still following her.

"So are you just visiting it because you feel like it? Not many people are allowed into the tower unless it's official business. We can't exactly pop in on the council or the elders unannounced unless it's an emergency."

 _Friendly…and suspicious._ "Do people of Konoha always question other people's motives?" _I'm not trying to be rude but…this is a little extreme._

The wary look in Sakura's eyes vanished and she sighed. "I didn't mean to sound mistrustful or anything. I guess the natural attitude of the city is starting to sink into me." She rubbed one shoulder, gazing at the paved stones set into the ground. "By the way, your hair is a very unusual color…not like I'm one to talk but still."

Seiya agreed silently, eyeing the pink strands on the girl's head.

"Anyway, if I annoyed you with those questions, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to act like that." Sakura's green eyes were smiling. "I don't normally."

She sincerely looked it too, but Seiya still wasn't so sure how this girl would feel if she knew Seiya was a demon. _Tsunade-sama said the people of Konoha don't trust us anymore. And that's what I have to fix._

"It's all right."

The girls continued down the bustling street in companionable silence. Occasionally, Seiya would point out a sight that had caught her interest and Sakura would explain as much as she knew about it. They passed by residential buildings which also required some explaining since Seiya had never seen so many apartments before. The sanctuary rarely built them, and even then they were only for those who wished to live closer to the administrative buildings. She also answered a few questions that the pink-haired girl tossed her way, although she was very careful in her responses.

_I don't know her well enough to trust her with my duties._

At last, the girls found themselves in front of an ordinary-looking tan and white house that showed none of the typical prestige befitting of a noble clan. The entrance was set down a couple of steps with a low pagoda-styled roof. Behind the house was a large grove of trees.

"This is it?"

"No," Sakura replied promptly. "This is where the Naras live. I think Shikamaru's home, but I don't guarantee he'll get up to answer the door. He's so lazy."

Seiya stared down the steps and at the door in confusion. "Hmm. So why are we here?"

"I'm not allowed into the tower, but I heard from Shikamaru that his father is going there today for a meeting between all the clan heads. If anything, he'll allow you to come along with him."

"You sure?"

"Yes. He's one of the nicer clan heads. Just tell him what you need to do and you'll be granted a passage in." Sakura nodded and turned away. "I gotta return to the academy. Exams are starting soon so I have to practice brewing some healing potion." She waved over her shoulder. "Ja ne Seiya. It was nice to meet you."

The ophan nodded, still staring at the front door. She did not notice the other girl leave.

_What's with the deer symbol?_

* * *

Maito Gai was notorious for being one of the strangest of the six Masters that occupied Konoha Academy's walls, and with very good reason. He was not a devious person like Anko nor was he the epitome of stern patience like Hiashi. No, Gai was the living embodiment of energy and enthusiasm that more than made up for any that might have lacked in his classroom.

"OHAYO!" he shouted, bounding into said room with more youthful energy than small children on a sugar high. The group of fifteen in-training monks (who were there for further study to get ahead in the exams) was too startled to say anything back—except for Gai's favorite student and living human replica Rock Lee.

"OHAYO GAI-SENSEI!" he yelled back in an equally cheerful voice. The monks' startled expressions became slightly pained.

Like the slayers', the monks' classroom was large and mostly empty in order to allow room for practicing combat. However, there were no practice weapons in separate cupboards for student use and no real weapons lined the walls. A makiwara board was set up off to the side and several soft mats were strewn across the floor for warm-ups. There were also practice dummies but these were padded as opposed to the slayers' bare wooden ones. Swinging large bags, stuffed with sawdust and beanbags, hung on ropes from the raftars, which had all be reinforced with steel to keep them from breaking.

"Today, I'm going to teach you all how to relax your mind before you perform a fist flurry on an opponent. You'll need to grow accustomed to this when the exams hit." Gai gestured around at his students. It was amazing how he could go from being over-excited one minute to perfectly calm and serious the next. "First, you'll have to close your eyes."

The students glanced at each other. "We…aren't supposed to fight with our eyes open Gai-sensei?" asked one of the boys. His voice sounded perplexed.

"You won't need them for this exercise. This will test your abilities to sense another's presence by relying on touch and sound alone."

Though still apprehensive, the future monks closed their eyes. A hush fell over the classroom with the only sound being soft puffs of air.

Off to the side, Kirokose Usagi watched the progress of the students critically. _I dunno,_ he thought. _Some of them look promising but I can't say for sure if they'd be able to handle the rigorous training you need to maintain being a monk._ His gray irises traveled over Rock Lee. The dark-haired teen's large brows were furrowed in concentration. _Hmmm…_ he _looks like he can handle it though._

Kirokose had originally planned to return to the city of Ame as soon as the week began, but a message from his father insisted that he should remain in Konoha as long as his cousin was staying. Being that his cousin's wife Hatsumi hadn't seen her father in a long time, he knew it would be awhile before he could return home.

_It's not too bad I guess. I mean, I have something to do._

Plus, with Chosun having returned and left the city, Kiteru was not going home anytime soon. So he had to stay to ensure the hunter was teased as often as possible.

"Oi sensei!" One of the girls was calling from the back of the room. "What are we supposed to do after this?"

Gai smiled. "Patience—and close your eyes." He paused. "Now I want you to stretch your hands out in front of you. Don't close them into fists just yet." The class did as they were told. "Okay. Now close them." The class did. "Now slowly bring one fist out in front of you and just punch the air."

There was a swoop of air from all sides as the group of would-be monks did as they were instructed.

"Again."

They obeyed.

"Good. Now see if you can find the person next to you."

The room was silent except for one student who exclaimed, "Can we punch them sensei?"

Kirokose snickered. _I was just about to ask him the same thing._

Gai smiled even though his students couldn't see it. The combined effect of his teeth and the bright lights from the overhead lamps was blinding. "I don't know why you would do such a horrible thing—"

 _I do,_ thought almost every member of the monk class. The only exception to the thought was Lee. He was hanging onto every word coming from his beloved sensei's mouth.

"—but if you think it would help you, feel free!"

Before anyone could ask if the abnormally cheerful man was serious, Lee acted upon his instinct. _THWACK!_ The cleric across from him was sent flying into another pair of students, knocking them over onto a mat.

"Nice one Lee!" Kirokose commented brightly—then he frowned. "Um…Lee?"

The boy continued to move around the room, moving his arms in a practice flurry motion. The other students, now wide-eyed, scrambled away from him frantically but Lee appeared not to have noticed them. He seemed to be in a trance; going through the basics of the attack as if he were the only one in the room.

Gai approached his favorite student and peered into Lee's face. The teen's expression was calm and relaxed—but oddly slack. His eyelids were fluttering as if he were dreaming. Then Gai suddenly broke out into laughter. "It's all right everybody! He's just sleeping!"

The people Lee had knocked over twitched. _The FUCK? Who goes around hitting people in their sleep?_

Sure enough a strange grunt came from Lee's mouth and he swayed slightly even though his body fought to remain upright in the stance. He pivoted on one foot and spun around, punching the air as he went. His fist nearly missed another student who shrieked and ducked. Kirokose did not know why Gai was just watching this as if it were a very interesting show.

 _Shouldn't he stop Lee before he hurts someone else?_ The student he had hit before was knocked out cold, a purple and yellow bruise already swelling under his cheekbone where Lee had punched him.

But instead, Gai was grinning again. "Now _this_ is what I hope you all can one day do! The enemy wouldn't stand a chance if you were able to fight in your sleep!" He brought his hands together. "This is excellent! Everybody copy his example!"

Kirokose snickered again and palmed his face with his hand while the monk students groaned simultaneously. Gai appeared not to have heard the noise as he was too excited.

_Yep. He's definitely a loon._

* * *

Seiya wasn't sure what she should have been expecting. The interior of the Nara clan's house was about as normal as the exterior. The living room, dining room, and kitchen (all that she could see) had all of the usual furniture and appliances without a show of value or ostentatiousness. The tables did not have gilt tablecloths or patterns carved into their feet. The chairs, while comfortable, were not upholstered in velvet or silk. Paintings hanging on the walls were surrounded by plain wooden frames.

_Are any of the four noble clans like this?_

A sudden mental image of the pale-eyed boy, Neji Hyuuga, passed in front of her mind's eye. _I seriously doubt it._

Shikaku Nara was not home but his wife Yoshino was kind enough to allow Seiya to remain in the living room to wait for him. The ophan thanked her, ignoring the curious looks the older woman was sending her.

 _It's been about twenty minutes since I got here…and I'm getting bored,_ she thought. She eyed a small carving of a deer on the table beside her. _Hmmm…again…what's with all of the deer?_

"And what are you supposed to be?"

The ophan's eyes snapped up. A boy with brown hair drawn up into a spiky ponytail was standing in front of her. His dark eyes were set in a bored expression.

"I'm Sei—wait. Huh?" _He asked "what" I was supposed to be…not "who"._ She stared hard at the teenager. _Does he know I'm not human?_

The boy lifted his shoulder in a one-armed shrug. "You don't have to answer the question if you don't feel like it." He walked over to one of the chairs and plopped down onto it.

She stared at the boy, bemused. "You're not Shikaku Nara are you?"

A funny sound came from the boy's throat. It could almost be mistaken for laughter. "No, I'm not _that_ old."

"Shikamaru, be respectful about your father even when he's not in the house," said a voice in the background. The boy stiffened as his mother came into the living room. A soup tureen was in one hand. "And if you're saying _he's_ old, are you implying _I'm_ old too?"

Seiya watched the brunette squirm with some amusement. _Hmmm…so he's afraid of his mother. Interesting. Then again…_ she turned her gaze to the lady in question. She was a normal dark-eyed brunette with plain features. However, there seemed to be some sort of palpitating aura rising up around her in currents. It wasn't magic or anything of that matter. Just…some sort of ominous feeling. _Wow…I think I'd be afraid of her too._

The boy, Shikamaru, straightened in the chair. He closed his eyes. "I'm not implying anything Mom," he said honestly. The ophan watched as he mouthed the words "troublesome".

Yoshino apparently hadn't noticed her son's silent remark. Instead, she addressed Seiya. "I'm sorry if Shikaku's late. He usually spends most of his time drinking away at the Bar-B-Q with his friends." Her mouth thinned. "I'll be surprised if he makes it back here sober at all, the idiot."

The corner of Shikamaru's mouth curled up. Apparently he was used to this sort of rant from his mother.

Before Yoshino could comment further about the antics of her husband, said husband walked through the door.

 _Amazing,_ thought Seiya. _I didn't even hear him come in._

Shikamaru resembled his father greatly from the spiky brown ponytail to the seemingly permanent bored expression. However, Shikaku had a few scars on his tan weather-beaten face and a small goatee on his chin. His brown vest, unlike the bottle green one Shikamaru sported, was ragged and riddled with holes.

"So you finally decide to show," said Yoshino, her voice sounding very different from earlier. "We were just talking about you."

He blinked, a chuckle escaping from his lips. "Oh uh…you were huh?" He scratched his head.

Shikamaru sighed and got up from his spot on the couch with a muttered "Troublesome." Seiya stood up as well, her body automatically sloping into a proper bow like she did with the elder ophanin. _I hope the humans do this too._

Yoshino noticed. "Oh! This is Sekai Seiya. She's a messenger from…" She frowned. "Where _did_ you say you came from?"

The ophan sighed. _I don't think there's any other way to say this without revealing my demonic heritage._ She closed her eyes and allowed her aqua-white wings to unfurl from her back. Shikaku's narrowed eyes widened at the sight of them. Yoshino gasped.

Predictably, Shikamaru did nothing.

"I'm a messenger on behalf of Tsunade, leader of the ophanin demon race," she said slowly, her voice now molding to the official-sounding one she normally used in the sanctuary. "As her assistant, I was asked to come here to pay a visit to those who run this city." Her lavender eyes lifted to rest on Shikaku's face. "I was informed that you would soon be on your way to a meeting with them at Shuryo's Tower."

The man nodded warily.

Seiya smiled. "I am instructed to attend that meeting. May I accompany you there?"

Before Shikaku could reply, a derisive sound escaped from his son's throat. "Let me guess. _You're_ crashing the meeting in order to speak on behalf of someone right? Someone much more powerful than you…your leader perhaps?" His fingers were now folded in twin steeples in front of his face, trained eyes fixed on the ophan.

Strange, but it felt like those beady black eyes were placing her on the spot. And she didn't like that feeling. It was too familiar…too similar to the scrutinizing gazes of the high-born council.

So she answered with just a twinge of defiance. "Yes that is correct." She paused before saying, "You must be proud Nara-san. You have a smart kid."

" _Too_ smart sometimes," said Yoshino before her husband could say anything. She walked around them toward the kitchen, bopping Shikamaru on the head with the soup tureen as she went.

"OW! Mom!"

With a shake of his head, Shikaku addressed the ophan. "If you want, I'll take you to the tower. But…why couldn't you go yourself? You're here on official business."

She had an answer ready. "It hasn't escaped my notice that many of you humans dislike beings such as me. I don't guarantee that if I tried to go to the tower on my own they'd let me in. So if they know I'm with _you,_ it'll be okay."

The implication was left unspoken: _if they know I'm with you, they'll think I'm harmless._

Shikaku glanced at his son. "Um…okay."

* * *

After another hour of walking (all of which was done without any arguments between Sasuke and Naruto), the group finally found a shady spot surrounded by bushes and trees that Chosun deemed safe. The sun was now slightly lower in the sky, casting tiny ribbons of light through the thick leaves. No sooner had they dropped their stuff, he immediately ordered Cassandra to set up a perimeter with spells and traps to ward off unwanted attention. The young sage didn't argue.

"Don't go overboard on them okay?" she whispered to Chosun while out of earshot from the pair. "I don't want to resort to performing unnecessary healing potions already." That said she vanished into the trees.

"All right gentlemen." Chosun turned toward his two charges. "I'm not exactly familiar with any of _your_ slayer techniques, so here's what we're going to do. I want you to show me a bit of what you've learned in your classes. This'll be done with a quick spar just so I know what I have to work with."

Naruto nodded. "So you're gonna watch us fight each other?"

He shook his head. "No. You're both going to fight _me._ "

There was silence except for the whistling of the wind in the trees. Any animals they'd passed by had scattered as if sensing the reason for silence.

Sasuke nodded slowly, his face impassive. Naruto, however, looked confused. "Um…are you sure that's fair?" _For you I mean._

"Oh don't worry about me Uzumaki. I'll be fine," he said calmly. "Rather…you should worry about yourself. Neither of you is familiar with my fighting style so stay alert." The deep green pools in his hazel eyes were glimmering in the shaded light, drawing attention to the ugly scar marring his face. "I'm not planning on going easy on you so don't hold anything back." He turned around and walked off until he was a few feet away from the boys. "Well…?"

They didn't move.

"Are you going to do anything or not?" One foot planted itself in a dirt pile in front of him, while he rested his weight on the back one. "Or should I?"

Sasuke too shifted his weight, furrowing his eyebrows. Beside him, Naruto was eyeing the experienced slayer warily.

"No answer?" A hint of a smile appeared on Chosun's face. "Fine then." Before either warrior could react, he waved his fingers. A rush of swirling leaves from the ground lifted up and hid his body from sight.

"Hey what—?" Naruto began.

Chosun appeared behind him with a nearly silent whisper. "Lesson one Uzumaki: don't get distracted."

_THWACK!_

The back of his hand collided with Naruto's shoulder, rapping it sharply. The blonde hissed, attempting to grab onto Chosun's hand. The slayer yanked it away and leaped back…just in time to dodge the barrage of kunai that Sasuke threw at him. One of the kunai barely missed his hand, but he caught it by the rounded handle.

With an enigmatic smile, Chosun twirled the knife around his finger. "Lesson two Uchiha: _aim._ "

Sasuke said nothing but from the way his dark eyes were tinged with red, it was apparent that he did not appreciate being taunted. His fingers touched his chest, then mouth, as if allowing something to rise from within his body. A blazing aura seemed to surround him, the air growing hazy.

_"Katon: Fire Breath!"_

A steady stream of red-orange flames flew from Sasuke's mouth head toward Chosun. The older boy eyed it. _Hmph. That's it?_ "You really have to ask Cassandra to teach you better tricks than that," he said, dodging the blast of fire easily. "Still need to work on that aiming."

Sasuke smirked. "No I don't."

The slayer frowned. _What is he talking abou—wait._ He whipped around. Naruto zipped past him, one of Sasuke's kunai in his hand. _SLICE!_ The blade sliced against Chosun's arm, blood welling up from the wound almost immediately. Behind Naruto, the stream of fire had turned around and was speeding back toward its user.

_Damn it. So he was using the flames as a distraction so I wouldn't notice Uzumaki…or the fact that his flames return to the user once he's finished._

Chosun placed pressure on the soles of his shoes and pushed up on them. _FWIP!_ The jump sent him soaring over the torrent of fire, but the flames licked at the ends of his feet; singing his pants. _Hmph. That was lucky._

He landed a few feet away and watched Sasuke smoothly suck the remaining flames back into his mouth. As expected, the Uchiha was naturally proficient with _ka,_ the fire element. _But I seriously doubt Cassandra was able to teach him everything_ she _can do with that element. He's not training to be a sage anyway._

As for Naruto… Chosun touched the cut on his arm made by the kunai. The fabric of his long glove was ripped and he tore it off impatiently. Pride prevented him from reaching for a healing ointment to remedy his arm. _I have to stay focused. Besides, the cut isn't too deep. It'll be fine until we quit for today._

"Not bad boys," he said. "You actually have me quite excited now."

Naruto rolled his eyes. _He sure doesn't seem excited._ One hand was kept on his weapons pouch attached to his waist, ready to draw out another kunai if needed. _I wonder what he's up to now._

"Naruto, keep an eye on his movement," Sasuke said calmly. "He was relying on dodging our attacks before but now that he knows he can't do that anymore, he's probably going on the offensive."

The other teen blinked in surprise, but he knew the Uchiha was correct in assuming they would have to learn to cooperate if they were going to defeat Chosun. "Right."

 _Hmmm…so they're actually starting to work together._ The slayer smiled. _That's a good sign. Teamwork is a necessary part of survival.  
_

There was another wave of rushing wind interrupted only by Chosun adjusting the guards attached to his elbows around his gloves. He looked up at his opponents through blank hazel eyes. The boys were now circling around him, one hand on their weapons pouches. _I could attack both of them at once but they'd probably expect something so predictable. In that case…I'll just have to evade for a little longer. They assumed I wouldn_ ' _t still resort to that._ He smirked and hunched forward.

A frown creased Naruto's forehead. Chosun wasn't playing much of an offense. _He looks like he's…doubled over in pain or something. But that can't be right. We barely touched him! So what's he up to?  
_

_"Doton: Earth Illusion!"_

Chosun slammed his fist into the ground and dirt immediately flew up in a wall in front of him. Naruto recognized the gesture from one of Ero-Sennin's classes about deceptive enchantments. He'd always fallen for them when the Myrmidon Master had demonstrated. "Sasuke, watch it! It's some kinda feinting hex!"

The other boy slipped back as the dirt cloud fell away, revealing nothing. "Got it." He glanced around at their surroundings, including the earth floor. Leaves skittered down as the trees shook from the wind. _Where is he? If he dug underground there would be a hole to show it…but I don't see anything. Unless…wait._ Sasuke glanced at the spot where Chosun had been. It looked the same as it had before he'd used the spell, smooth and covered in twigs and leaves. _Maybe there_ is _a hole but we can't see it._

"Naruto I think he's somewhere beneath us."

" _Directly_ beneath us?"

"Does it matter?" Sasuke asked. He took a few steps backward, looking around the clearing. _He chose his tactic pretty well. We're surrounded by trees so I can't use fire to smoke him out. He could be hiding in the bushes, but those will also catch fire and it_ ' _d be too obvious to check them. I could send an electric current through the ground but there's a chance Naruto will get stunned since I can't control its direction very well yet._ He glanced at his companion. "Any ideas Uzumaki?"

The blond warrior stared. "You're actually asking me for help? That's pretty desperate coming from _you_ Sasuke."

"Shut up and just try to use that acorn-sized nut you call a brain for once." Sasuke smirked. "Don't hurt yourself now"

Naruto shot him a glare. "Oh _thank you so much_ for your concern," he muttered sarcastically. He brushed one hand against the ground, picking up clods of earth and tiny pebbles. "Well…Chosun can't stand underground forever. The dirt is heavily packed together here so he can't puncture air holes without us seeing them. But if he doesn't get air, he can't stay under so he'll come up."

_WHOOOSH! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!_

All around them holes were appearing all over the ground as the earth caved in. Dirt exploded up in arcs like miniature geysers. Sasuke and Naruto jumped away from them in alarm.

"You were saying dobe?"

"Well now he should be visible!" Naruto back-flipped a few centimeters away from a forming hole. "R-right?"

And then a voice came from above their heads. "Lesson three boys! Be prepared to be deceived!"

A gigantic web of sticky netting rained down upon them, the threads attached to several sharp knives that burrowed into the earth. Both warriors hit the ground as the sticky net clung to their bodies, forming a temporary prison.

Chosun landed neatly on the forest floor in front of them. He stood up straight, brushing silver hair out of his eyes. "In combat you must be able to expect to be deceived by your surroundings. Even when you've thought you discovered all of the loops and explored every corner of the area; don't expect it to remain the same if you have opponents in the same region. Got it?"

There was a hint of smugness in his voice.

Naruto lifted an arm, wincing as the sticky substance refused to yield. "What the _hell_ is this stuff?" Sasuke grumbled beside him.

"Oh that. I researched the webbing spiders tend to use to catch their prey, and I was very impressed with how strong the threads were. So this is a variant of a spider's web although the material is not the same. It's much stickier. Notice you can't tear out of it so easily?"

Naruto, however, was not listening to the slayer. He was whispering something into Sasuke's ear. The Uchiha's eyes widened-then narrowed. "Don't use that you idiot!" he hissed. "You'll destroy this part of the forest and fry us, all even the animals. I don't want to die beside you."

"Well that's fine by me. I don't wanna die beside _you_ either." Sasuke glared at him. "Okay, okay. I have another idea but you'll have to trust me."

The paler teen shook his head. _Do I even have a choice?_ "Fine."

Naruto shut his eyes and focused all of his energy into the core of his heart. _"Kage Bunshin!" BAMF!_ A large cloud of gray and white smoke covered the warriors and the web.

Chosun frowned,backing away until his heels hit the grass behind him. _That technique…only higher ranked slayers are able to pull it off successfully._ His eyes widened as the smoke cleared, leaving only a pile of Naruto clones in the sticky web. _Where are the boys?_ He took out a sharpened knife and sliced through the threads, causing several of the clones to disappear in tiny poofs of smoke.

"Gotcha."

A tan hand reached up to grab Chosun's arm and yank him close to the ground. _POOF!_ The rest of the clones vanished save for two: one being the real Naruto. The other, who was holding his arm, transformed into Sasuke.

"W-what?"

Sasuke smirked. "Not a bad idea Naruto. Using a technique like that combined with an illusion charm worked perfectly." He held a knife to Chosun's neck. "Now that I think you know what we're capable of, can we drop this senseless brawl and get to some _real_ training?"

At this, Chosun allowed a small chuckle to escape his diaphragm. He slowly removed his arm from Sasuke's hold. "Technically, this _was_ part of the training session Uchiha. I was just testing you to see what we need to work on."

Naruto sputtered. "Oi, you were _toying_ with us?" He scrambled to his feet before deciding to pull Sasuke up as well.

"In a manner of speaking," replied the older boy casually. He jumped away from the boys, legs planted in an easy stance. "Good job you two. Now that I know where you stand, let's continue shall we?" It was as if their previous efforts had barely fazed him beyond interest.

The two warriors exchanged wary glances before facing the slayer. _This is going to be loooooooong day._

* * *

The official council of Konoha City all glanced up simultaneously as Shikaku Nara entered the room flanked by a pale girl with vibrant sea-green hair. At the head of the large, carved wooden table, Shuryo Sarutobi stood up to greet them. Though in his early seventies, the man's wrinkled face still held the spark of wisdom and strength of a youth. His dark gray eyes squinted kindly beneath the brim of his large red-and-white peaked hat. "We were thinking of starting the meeting without you Shikaku-san." He peered curiously at the girl by the brunette man's side. "But…who is this?"

Shikaku shrugged. He wasn't the kind of guy to give introductions if the person was able to on his own. _Too much work._ Instead, he walked over to an available seat beside Inoichi Yamanaka and sat down.

Seiya, however, remained standing. Her lavender gaze traveled over the room's occupants, taking in the humans. _So these are all of the heads of the families who run Konoha, including the noble families. The elders must be somewhere else._ She recognized Haru Mikomi who was waving merrily at her from his place next to a fierce-looking woman with red tattoos on her cheeks and wild brown hair. She also identified the Hyuuga white eyes on a dark-haired man seated near the Shuryo. Seated beside him, looking nervous and tiny, was the violet-haired girl named Hinata.

And behind _her…_ Seiya narrowed her eyes. _That boy._ The white-eyed boy she'd seen with Hinata only a few days prior: Neji. _What is_ he _doing here?_

"Um…excuse me young lady." The Shuryo was trying to get her attention. "You were about to say something?"

 _Crap!_ Seiya tore her eyes away from the arrogant youth, remembering where she was. _Focus you idiot! Tsunade-sama didn't train you to act like a dummy in the presence of Konoha's leaders._

She straightened and opened her mouth to speak. "I am Seiya Sekai. I am the personal assistant of Lady Tsunade." It was here where she decided to reveal her aqua wings to the council. "I think you might know her as the current leader of the ophanin demon race."

The council's reaction to her wings was close to what she had anticipated back with the Nara family. Shikaku didn't care of course, but the rest of the men in the room drew closer to one another. The tattooed woman crossed her arms, apparantly also at ease in the presence of a demon. Hinata's blank irises seemed to widen in awe as Seiya's wings unfurled and drooped around the ophan's body. Neji seemed to be looking past her.

"I was asked to attend this meeting in order to relay a message straight from Tsunade-sama," Seiya continued seriously. "If you'll please listen to my words, I will allow her to speak through me to you."

The tattooed woman next to Haru spoke up. "How will you do that? Do you demons have a psychic connection?" There was the hint of a growl in her speech.

Seiya smiled mysteriously, remembering the scroll listing the clan head's names. _Dog-like and the only woman. This one must be Tsume Inuzuka._ "Some of us are born with a distinct power to touch the minds of other ophanin and allow them to speak through us. Maybe it's what you humans would consider 'magic.' With us, it's basic genetic makeup." She closed her eyes and sought the mind of her leader up in the sanctuary office. Her body began to glow with silvery white light.

The council of clan heads waited in silence, some observing the ophan with suspicion mingled with curiosity. Sarutobi's expression was blank but there seemed to be an admiring shine to his gray eyes as he watched the girl tap into her unique powers.

"This is similar to a bloodline trait isn't it?" Haru commented. He too was watching Seiya with avid interest. "Cool."

"I don't think so Haru," said Hiashi Hyuuga. His hands were folded calmly in front of him on the table. "This isn't a trait that belongs to a single family. She did say that other demons are capable of linking their minds."

Haru grinned. "Say what you want. It's still cool though."

They waited for a few more minutes as the glow around Seiya's body centered on her face. She opened her eyes, the lavender pools shining with opaque silver. Her mouth opened and a deeper female voice came out.

 _ **"Well…this is weird. I didn't expect her to get here so soon."**_ The glow in Seiya's eyes faded but they were not the familiar purple orbs. Instead, bright brown eyes stared back at the group. _**"Guess it can't be helped."**_ Seiya's mouth twitched up into a smirk. _**"It's been a long time since I've seen you Sarutobi. You're looking good for a man who should have been in retirement by now."**_

Shibi, the bespactacled head of the Aburame clan, and Hiashi shifted uncomfortably at the lack of formal speech Tsunade used. However, Sarutobi smiled warmly. "It has been a long time. I hope you're doing all right for yourself Tsunade."

 _ **"Ha! You could say that."**_ Seiya's lashes blinked once and she seemed to be laughing. _**"I could tell you horror stories about the council of high-born and how**_ **boring** _ **the world looks from up there…but I don't have long with this mind link so let's get down to business."**_ The demon's tone quickly switched to serious. _**"I understand that many of you humans are still wary of demon contact after the tragedy seventeen years ago. I've seen how the people of Konoha treat Riaru as if she's something to be ignored. And don't get me started on what people think of**_ **Naruto.** _ **"**_

At the sound of the blonde teen's name, a ripple of unease passed through the room's inhabitants except for Hinata and Neji. The pair glanced at the adults curiously. "Father, what is she talking about?" asked Hinata.

Tsume Inuzuka scratched one of her red tattoos. "Hiashi, maybe it would be best not to keep the kids in here. Remember?"

Hiashi visibly flinched, having just remembered that his daughter and nephew were still in the room. _This is something they should not know about._ He turned to his nephew. "Take Hinata out of the room. This information is strictly confidential."

The white-eyed boy obeyed and led his cousin out of the room. However, he couldn't help but cast a wary glance in the possessed ophan's direction. Seiya (or was it Tsunade?) ignored him.

All of the adults did not manage to breathe properly until the children were out of the room. Once they were gone, Sarutobi addressed the demon again. "What do you want Tsunade?"

_**"The ophanin high-born don't agree with me, but I wish for us all to start over. We made a grave mistake that day when our feud with the yokai reached an all time high. We shouldn't have involved you humans in our problems. For that…I offer my apologies. I speak on behalf of the entire ophanin race."** _

Shibi Aburame spoke up. "Your race has offered apologies many times in the past and we have taken them into consideration. Why are you doing this again?"

Seiya/Tsunade turned her brown irises on him. _**"Because I want more than just an acceptance of countless apologies,"**_ answered the woman. _**"My brethren are satisfied with them, but I want something much more promising."**_

Sarutobi sighed and stared at the engravings in the table. "You want trust," he whispered.

**_"Exactly."_ **

The council glanced at one another, sending unspoken messages. Seiya/Tsunade noticed and hurried on. _**"I know it's a lot to ask for but please consider it. I wish for us to start over with a new alliance where both of us cooperate with one another during harsh times. For now this time is peaceful, but there's no telling if the yokai will uphold their promise. And…I want us to be able to help you if they consider attacking here again. I know that's why you _'ve **set up your schools and adapted your own brand of magic. But**_ I don't wish to make the same mistake seventeen years ago. So if we could just begin again…extend a hand of cooperation…"**_ She took a deep breath. _**"Please tell me what you think."**_

The room was silent for several minutes as the group of humans took in her request. A few, such as Shibi and Hiashi, were skeptical of an alliance with the more powerful demon race. Others, like Haru and Shikaku, were more enthusiastic with the possibility. They appreciated change.

"You say you want our trust," said Choza Akimichi finally. He shifted his large frame in his custom-built seat, his girth casting a shadow over his side of the table. "That's a very delicate feeling you're asking for. The ophanin had our trust long ago. It's very difficult to gain back once lost Lady Tsunade."

 _ **"I know."**_ Seiya/Tsunade nodded. _**"But I am willing to try if you are willing to accept."**_

"We can't guarantee that everyone else will feel the same way though," Shikaku answered. "Old prejudices are hard to lose." He yawned and settled back in his chair.

Sarutobi smiled, offering the ophan a peace of mind. "It will be difficult for the people of Konoha to regain their trust in demons, but…I don't wish for us to be at odds any longer. You were once our protectors and friends. It was a harsh time for us dealing with the yokai but it was a happy time as well. There was none of this tension that we now have." He gazed around at the members of his council. "As the Shuryo I find that I am prepared to accept an offer of friendship with the ophanin. But I will leave it up to vote amongst the rest of you."

At once the room erupted into noisy chatter.

Seiya/Tsunade snorted. _**"Not exactly the smartest thing to say in a room full of cranky adults Sarutobi."**_ She blinked, her eyes retreating back into silver. _**"Damn, looks like the connection can't last much longer. I'll leave it up to Seiya to listen to the verdict."**_ The silver glow faded from the ophan's eyes, leaving them once again lavender.

Meanwhile, the council members continued their prattle without noticing the change in the demon girl. "I think Sarutobi-sama has a point," said Choza, always eager to make amends. "We can't force the people to put faith in the ophanin again, but we can help by agreeing with Tsunade's request."

"The ophanin have kept to their side of the world for a very long time and have not interfered with us and our goals," agreed Inoichi. "Maybe it's time we give them another chance." He shrugged. "I don't know. What do you think Tsume?"

"Well…" She bit down on her lip with one fang. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot…but suppose something happens again. I mean, the yokai aren't exactly holy so we can't expect _them_ to honor agreements. And if we do go through with this, we still need to run it by the elders. Who knows how long _that_ ' _ll_ take to sink in." She shrugged. "Then again, I might be biased. I'll go with the majority on this."

Sarutobi nodded, his gaze traveling over each of the council members. He bypassed Haru, knowing already what the archsage's choice was. Shikaku gave him a brief nod and a short "I concur." Now the only ones left indecisive were the two remaining noble clan leaders.

Hiashi folded his hands in front of him. "I'd like to hear what Shibi-san has to say about this before I give my decision."

All eyes turned on the quiet Aburame. He had not spoken in the past few minutes except for that one time to the possessed ophan. In a way, the final verdict mostly depended upon him.

"Our first priority in this city is the people's concern," said the bespectacled man slowly. He lifted his head, revealing the tracings of a moustache and goatee behind his high collar. "And the people are prejudiced against the ophanin because they're afraid of them. They fear what they cannot understand and they fear those who have more power over them. So by immediately granting the ophanin trust, we are going against what the people are ready for. Still…Choza has a point that old prejudices can gradually be reduced if we slowly allow the people to adapt to having the demons around. If we are all willing to work towards peaceful interaction then I will give my consent."

Everybody stared at the man, some clearly gawking. This was the _most_ he had ever spoken at any council meeting. Apparently, the situation was interesting enough to warrant his contribution.

"Well you've heard Shibi's answer Hiashi," said Sarutobi. "What do you think now?"

The Hyuuga sighed and stared at the white wall, tiny little veins appearing on the sides of his eyes. After making sure that Hinata and Neji were not listening behind the doors, he returned his attention to his fellow council members. "I'm not sure if my opinion generally matters…but if Shibi-san has agreed to support your decision of an alliance with the ophanin then I will also offer my support. Who knows? Time may have changed a few mindsets. However, we will need some to have some changes around here to ensure we have the peoples' cooperation. Maybe we could arrange visits from the sanctuary to here every now and then to discuss problems. And like Tsume said, we will need to run this by the elders."

Sarutobi glanced at Seiya who inclined her head. "All right; looks like it's unanimous. You can tell Tsunade that we'll be expecting her sometime in two weeks. Oh and…" here he grinned. "Tell Hatori he can come with her."

"Yes…but why two weeks?"

Haru chose to explain for the Shoryu. "We're going to be pretty busy next week since we're preparing for the academy placement exams. Some of our children are working hard to advance to their next class levels. It's a pretty big deal so we won't have time for negotiations or meetings. Two weeks from now is the first examinations for the clerics so while everyone else is working hard to prepare, we can talk then."

 _Oooooh. This is what Tsunade-sama was talking about that day._ Seiya smiled. _In that case, I'm pretty sure she won't be sorry to delay anything to deal with work like this._

"Two weeks it is."

* * *

Chosun's training session nearly spanned the length of three hours and by the time he decided to call it quits, Cassandra had moved beyond setting up a perimeter. She'd gone ahead and set up camp complete with tiny spheres of soft light against the growing darkness. The trees had leeched away most of the light that could have been provided by the silvery waning moon.

"So this is light magic huh?" Naruto gazed at one of the spheres with interest. Paying attention to something else allowed him to momentarily forget about the aching in his body.

Cassandra nodded. "Yup. Unfortunately, my brand of hikari doesn't get much better than this." She shrugged. "I've never been too fond of this element so I don't know many spells beyond the basics I learned in class with Hiashi-sensei. I was lucky to pass at it."

"It's fine Cassandra," said Chosun briskly. If his body was aching after working up such a huge sweat, he didn't show it. The spheres threw half of his face in shadow. "This is better than building a fire."

"Well I didn't want to resort to that," she replied. "My _ka_ techniques tend to be a bit stronger than most. I wouldn't have been able to maintain a steady _small_ fire." Closing her eyes, she traced one finger through the air as if outlining the boys' forms. _"Hikariton: Cure."_

The air surrounding the trio suddenly became warm and the spheres of light huddled close to them. One ran along Naruto's sore arm and he felt a rush of healing warmth surge through his veins. The bruises and cuts he'd received from the training session vanished. Even the singe from the fire attacks dulled down to less noticeable marks.

"Wow." Naruto rubbed his wrists and examined his legs critically. "You'd put the clerics out of a job in no time."

Cassandra shook her head, watching as another sphere drifted over Sasuke's bruised fingers. "I doubt it. This is only a remedial healing enchantment using hikari. It's mostly for visible cuts and soothing aches. The more advanced forms of healing are reserved for the clerics and paragons. Sages are only taught enough for insurance when there aren't any healers around."

The blond watched the glowing balls of light drift back to where they were. "So besides clerics and paragons, sages and monks are the only other classes who can heal?"

Before Cassandra could answer, Chosun spoke up. "Excluding the highest classes like archsage, myrimidon, and shaman; that's correct. But it's very specific. Clerics are beginners so they don't have access to majority of the healing arts like paragons do. Monks are also limited to _only_ healing themselves because their training focuses on mostly attack at the frontlines with no one else to worry about. They also use up too much energy for their skills anyway. The other classes must use potions or ointments brewed by the paragons if they wish to heal on their own."

The others stared at the slayer.

"You sound like you've memorized the teachers' lectures or something," Naruto muttered. He accepted a wrapped food package that Sasuke handed to him. "What did you do, sit in on all of the classes?"

Chosun smiled enigmatically. "Maybe." He lifted out a sandwich from his own pack.

For a while there was silence amongst the group save for chewing and swallowing. The evening stretched on before them like the cluster of trees that surrounded Fire Country. Tiny crickets strummed their music and fireflies came out to dance with the larger spheres of hikari. The wind from before had died down.

"So…" Sasuke laid aside the wrappings of his food package on the grass, wiping at his mouth with a paper napkin. "Who is this friend of yours we're seeing Cassandra?" His dark eyes were narrow.

Naruto grinned. "Awww, is Sasuke-kun jealous?"

Those onyx eyes were now zeroed on him, displaying clear annoyance even in the shadowed light. "No. I'm getting information."

Cassandra lowered the thermos of water she had lifted to her lips. "We'll be staying free of charge at the inn thanks to he and his siblings. His brother's the Shuryo of Suna."

_Ka-thunk!_

Naruto, Sasuke, and Cassandra glanced at the source of the noise. Chosun had just carelessly dropped his set of spare weapons on the forest floor. The slayer, however, ignored them in favor of staring openly at Cassandra.

"You mean…y-you never said…"

 _Chosun is…_ stuttering? _What the hell?_ Naruto exchanged a confused expression with Sasuke. _This is new._

"I never said what?"

The scarred slayer lost his dazed look and replaced it with one of disbelief. "You didn't tell me you were friends with _Gaara._ " There was a hint of accusation in his tone.

 _Hn._ Sasuke smirked. _So his name is Gaara._

A frown appeared on the sage's face. "I don't see why I should have. What's it to you who I'm friends with?"

"It's one thing if you're friends with just an ordinary civilian," replied Chosun fiercely. "But this is _Gaara_ you're talking about."

"And what's wrong with Gaara?" Cassandra demanded. Her bright blue eyes were beginning to darken with annoyance. The effect from the spheres did not help. "Look, I know you think he's dangerous but he's—"

"That's because he _is_ dangerous Cassandra!" Chosun rarely raised his voice. "Why else do you think people outside of Suna fear him so much? You don't know what he is. He's unstable and—"

_FWIP!_

Cassandra had raised her hand in a slashing motion across the air and a jet of air seemed to slap against the man's cheek, directly over the scar. Naruto stiffened, noticing the sudden increase in tension in the atmosphere.

_And for once, it's got nothing to do with Sasuke and me._

"It isn't his fault that he's the way he is," said the sage slowly with an icy glare. Her magical aura was ebbing and flowing around her body. "And he's working on controlling himself. _You_ of all people should know that since Sunagakure is your home. Besides…" she glanced at Sasuke and Naruto. "I don't think this is the time to talk about Gaara's 'issues'. We have more important things to do." With a sigh, she stood up and walked away from the circle. Her wrist brushed by Naruto as she passed him and she suddenly stiffened. The back of her hand was tingling.

Where had she felt this before?

"Cassandra." Chosun spoke up from his spot on the floor. "I'm sorry. I just…"

The girl blinked. "It's fine Chosun. I think I'll crash early." She hurried off to her sleeping mat, casting Naruto a strange frown.

Naruto tilted his head. "Uh…what was _that_ about?"

"You mean about Gaara?" asked Sasuke. He was staring at where Cassandra was settling down on her sleeping mat with an unfamiliar scroll and another sphere of light she was holding in one hand. Her brows were furrowed in bemusement. "Or about the funny look she just sent you."

"The second one."

Sasuke shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe she always sends you funny looks." He didn't really care.

"Hey I would notice!"

"She probably does behind your back," replied Sasuke nonchalantly. Ignoring the sputters from the other boy, he turned to Chosun. "So…just so we know what we're dealing with…what _is_ this Gaara?"

The slayer flinched, his hazel irises fixed at a point somewhere in the trees above the Uchiha's head. "You'll see. Believe me, you'll see."

* * *

The door to Shuryo's Tower closed behind Seiya as she set off down the cobbled pathway of Konoha's main street. By this time the sun had set below the backdrop of the craggy mountain that overlooked the city and stars were beginning to appear in the sky. Lamps were being lit all over the place. _I wonder what time it is.  
_

"Seiya!"

She lowered her gaze from the sky. Haruno Sakura, that pink-haired girl from before, was walking toward her from the opposite end of the street. "Konban-wa Sakura. Are you heading home?"

Sakura shook her head. "Actually I'm meeting one of my friends for dinner. _Then_ I'm going home." She nodded at the tower. "I hope you got what you needed there."

 _It wasn't exactly what_ I _needed._ "Yes. Oh and about helping me find a way to get inside earlier…thank you."

A laugh bubbled up from Sakura's throat. "You're welcome. You don't need to thank me. It was no trouble at all." She held up a finger and wagged it back and forth. "I wouldn't be a good citizen now if I turned down helping an ophan right?"

 _An opha…wait, she KNOWS?_ Seiya took a step back from the other girl. _She knows I'm not a human. But I…how…I…_

Sakura seemed to realize that she'd frightened Seiya. "Hey! Hey!" She laid a hand on the girl's rigid shoulder. "I didn't mean to scare you. I don't hate the ophanin. My parents don't particularly _like_ them, but I can't hate those who I don't even know." The green pigments in her eyes were friendly. "Anyway, I knew what you were because of your hair and skin tone. Your skin is pale but it's too vibrant. Hair color like yours is bound to wash out the paleness but it doesn't in your case. So either you have a really interesting hand lotion that helps it along or your circulation is different."

Seiya stared at her. The observations Sakura had made sounded like she was conducting an investigation. "Are you some kind of detective?"

At that, Sakura burst out laughing. She brought it down to a few giggles when the ophan looked offended. "No. I'm training to be a paragon though. I need to familiarize myself with different skin tones and circulation so I know what kind of potions or herbs to recommend. It's all part of the training." She grinned at Seiya and the ophan returned it willingly. "I better be going now or Ino'll have my hide. And don't worry about me telling anyone that you're an ophan. I'll keep it a secret."

Seiya nodded gratefully and watched the girl continue on down the lit street, weaving around Shuryo's Tower. The yellow glow of the lamps caught the girl's short pink hair, softening it to a light rose. _So she really is nice._ A sigh of relief. _At least I know I've made one friend on my own among the humans._

"So you're the ophan leader's assistant."

Seiya stiffened at the sound of the arrogant voice coming from behind her. She turned her head, just catching the sight of Neji Hyuuga in her peripheral vision. He was leaning against the tower wall with his white eyes trained on her. His cousin Hinata was nowhere to be found.

"What do you want?" she asked coolly.

Neji ignored her question. "That's why you were here the other day right? You wanted to observe humans in their natural habitat."

 _Why you…_ Seiya managed to maintain control and donned a sweet smile. "Of course you're right. I wanted to see if the other Konoha inhabitants were all arrogant little pricks."

At the word "pricks", Neji stiffened and glared at her. The ophan smiled back innocently. _Innocent my ass. That pretty face just hides something really annoying._ It'd been a very long time since he'd come across a female that did not swoon over him or fear him. In fact, the last girl that hadn't done either, besides Hinata, was Cassandra Mikomi…though she'd been only eight years old when they had met one another. _That hardly counts._

"For someone who is of high rank you're not very polite."

"And who says people of high rank have to be polite all of the time," Seiya countered swiftly. She didn't know why she wanted to bicker with the boy. _He_ is _just a boy after all._

Neji walked toward her. His white eyes gave away nothing. "I suppose I'm just the lucky victim of your audacity then?" The tone of his voice was mocking.

"I suppose so," said Seiya in the same tone. She stood her ground even when Neji stared down his nose at her. "Not that my audacity is any of your business Neji Hyuuga."

His mouth twitched. "I don't remember introducing myself to you."

"I have my ways of figuring out names. I know you're part of the Branch family of the Hyuuga clan and that you serve as Hinata Hyuuga's bodyguard to some extent."

Neji raised an elegant eyebrow. "Am I supposed to be impressed?"

The ophan glared. _Forget about maintaining poise._ "Why do you wish to belittle me? Is it because you're prejudiced against _demons?_ " She practically spat out the last word. "It wouldn't be the first time I've met someone like that."

The sage stared at her with a mixed expression. "I'm not prejudiced against demons."

"No?" Seiya looked unconvinced. "So it must be something else in me that you dislike if it isn't my demonic background. Let's see…I can think of a few things. Is it because I'm a girl?" Now her tone was scathing.

"I don't have anything against girls. Hinata-sama would vouch for that," said Neji calmly. "However…I _do_ have something against people who I find uncomfortable and you're starting to fit that criteria joshi."

Seiya scoffed. "I don't think you're in a position to talk down to me Hyuuga-san, especially since I'm older than you."

 _Nani?_ Neji blinked. "Excuse me?" _She…looks a little younger than Hinata-sama._

"Looks can be deceiving can't they Hyuuga-san?" The ophan smirked at the bemused look on the teen's face. "I'm actually turning twenty-one soon. That makes me about year or two older than you eh?" _You look about Riaru's age…which still makes you younger than me. So_ who's _the senior person in this case?_

The Hyuuga said nothing. Instead, thin veins gathered at the corners of his irises; pulsing with life. His white eyes seemed to have acquired visible pupils although they were merely oval outlines within the cornea. In the darkness, they almost glowed.

Seiya shifted her body. The intense scrutiny she was being placed under was making her very uncomfortable. _I feel like he's seeing through me._ She blinked. _What if he_ is _seeing through me? I mean, in this world it's not completely illogical._

"What are you doing?" Whether he could see through her or not, the ophan did NOT like being inspected as if she were a specimen for the human druids to pick at. Her wings expanded from her back and wrapped around her body loosely.

Those creepy veins smoothed out and vanished into his pale skin. He shrugged. "You claim to know quite a bit about my clan but you clearly don't know enough if you can't even recognize the Byakugan. I was merely observing the amount of aura and energy your body holds. The aura is very different from a human's."

 _WHAT? Then he WAS seeing through me?_ Seiya's expression changed from nervous to furious. _I feel violated._ "You…ecchi!"She turned around, making sure the ends of her feathers smacked against his face. Before Neji could say anything else, she spread her wings and took off into the darkening sky.

"Neji-nisan!" Hinata had appeared in the doorway to the tower. Her pale eyes took in the sight of the flying ophan in the blue-black sky and her stiff cousin. She blinked. "I was wondering where you were. Are you all right?"

Her cousin did not answer.

"Neji?" Hinata took a step closer. "What did she say to you?" She had never seen him look so surprised before—not even when he'd been invited to Main House events as an equal.

 _That ophan…Seiya…_ One of Neji's eyes twitched rapidly. _Did…did she just call me a lecher? But why would she…wait._ Realizing exactly what the strange demon had thought about the Byakugan's power, he chuckled and shook his head. _That girl has a weird imagination._

* * *

**Two days later…**

"It's… _too…_ HOT!"

Sasuke covered his eyes with his hand, biting back a groan of exasperation. The border separating River Country from the harsh terrain of Wind Country was now far behind them. They had all changed into the lighter loose clothing Chosun had instructed them to pack. So Sasuke had listened to him, changing into a pair of longish black shorts and dark red shirt. Chosun also warned them to also keep their coats or cloaks handy as they were not used to the rough terrain.

Unfortunately, Naruto had been complaining about the blistering weather ever since they had set foot into this infernal desert and it was beginning to drive him nuts.

"Dobe, you're not helping anything by complaining."

"Sure I am," replied the blond warrior. A drop of sweat from his brow slid down his cheek to waltz along his jaw. He tugged impatiently at the hem of his thin gray T-shirt, peeling it away from his skin. He could not do the same with his blue jeans which felt _extremely_ uncomfortable in the heat; Chosun knowing best or not. "I'm helping myself by voicing my opinion."

"What kind of logic is that?"

"I don't question your mindset teme. Don't question mine."

Cassandra exhaled beside them, her hair tied back in a high ponytail. The long strands still clung to her sweaty neck and the collar of her blue cloak. "Guys…please…it's too hot to argue."

Both boys fell into disgruntled silence but they continued to seethe. _The bastard probably can't feel the heat because of the glacier stuck in his ass,_ Naruto thought darkly, glaring at Sasuke.

The Uchiha returned it. _I should set him on fire. That'll show him the meaning of_ hot.

"I have a question Cassandra." Chosun was peering at a faraway sand dune. Unlike the others, he wasn't perspiring much at all. He also seemed perfectly fine with wearing his arm guards and brown flak jacket despite their heaviness. "If you're all so affected by the heat, why don't you use some of your _hyo_ and _sui_ to cool things down?" _Before you_ all _drive me up the wall._

The sage shook her head, wincing. "Sorry but I can't. Using my magical aura requires energy and I need my energy for walking across this." She gestured at the desert, wind billowing across the sandy floor. Sand rustled against the black leggings she chose to wear to protect her skin against the gritty feel. She drew the blue cloak around her, hoping to keep the sun off her tied, sleeveless shirt. "We'll have to do without until we reach somewhere safe to set up camp."

"How about burrowing into a sand dune?" Naruto suggested.

He was greeted by three pairs of eyes all displaying the same expression: annoyance.

"Or we could just find a spot with no hot wind…if that's possible."

 _Spontaneous combustion sounds like a_ really _good idea right now,_ thought Sasuke darkly, his eyes fixed on Naruto from beneath his blue cloak hood.

Cassandra groaned. "Just shut up Uzumaki." She squinted at the dry mountain ranges in the distance. Dust rose up into her line of sight. "Suna is somewhere over there so we'll have to keep moving until the sun reaches the highest point in the sky. It'll be too hot to travel during that time so we'll wait it out until the early evening."

The experienced slayer snorted. "I knew it was going to take awhile to reach the city. _I_ wouldn't have bothered about the heat and just continued on."

"Well not all of us are from around here Chosun," said Naruto airily. "So if you don't want to have to write down that your companions died from heatstroke, you'll take that into consideration."

Chosun frowned but refused to comment further. The other teen was right after all. He did have to take into account that the trio was not accustomed to the harsh regime that surrounded Suna from all sides.

The party of four set off across the vast desert. Hot winds continued to blow around them and stir up gritty yellow-white sand into piles and against their clothing, but not high enough to catch in their eyes or mouths. The blue sky seemed to blaze with the sun's flaming arms, sending hazy streaks across the few clouds.

Naruto walked slightly behind the others, thinking over the previous days spent leaving Fire Country and traveling through River Country. Chosun had kept up with his sparring lessons with him and Sasuke while Cassandra watched. The girl had also participated in the later training sessions by providing summoned elemental creatures as targets. Training in River Country's lush forests and waterways proved simple this way.

 _But here?_ He wondered if Kakashi-sensei and Iruka had expected him to do the same things in the arid desert. _I'm pretty sure traveling through this place is good for toughening somebody up, but I'm not so sure about fighting. I don_ _'t think anyone wants to fight in this humidity.  
_

Another drop of sweat ran down his forehead to the arch of his nose. He rubbed it away impatiently. _I wonder what the people of Suna City are like. According to Chosun they seem like barbarians. Or maybe it's just that Gaara friend of Cassandra's._

They had not touched on the subject of Gaara since that day Cassandra had defended him against Chosun's accusations. However, Naruto was inclined to believe that neither of the elder teens had forgotten about it. _It's such a touchy topic._

A hand on his clothed shoulder caused him to jump. "Relax dobe, it's just me." Sasuke removed his hand. "Just keep walking."

Naruto shot him a look. "Don't do that," he hissed. "And…wait, why are you walking next to me anyway?" _Willingly that is._

The Uchiha tilted his head in the direction of Cassandra, his dark bangs clinging wetly to his face. She had pulled out that unfamiliar scroll and was perusing it again despite the hot winds blowing and scratching at it. "I want to see what she's reading and since you're walking behind her…"

"Oh." _Come to think of it, I'm kind of curious myself._

Both teens continued moving while keeping their eyes carefully on the scroll in the sage's hands. Unfortunately, Cassandra held it close to her face so only a few letters seemed to be visible.

 _I see a "y" and a…an "i"?_ Naruto frowned and tilted his head sideways as if he could see it better from that angle. _And there's a "d" that's not part of that same word._

"You can angle your head in any position and I'm still not going to let you read it Uzumaki."

 _Shit!_ Naruto snapped his head upward. Cassandra was still facing resolutely forward but her eyes were looking at him from above the scroll's edge. _How was she able to see me_ and _still read that thing while walking in a straight line?_

Sasuke shook his head and opened his mouth to chastise the moron for getting caught but Cassandra cut him off. "Don't think I've forgotten about _you_ Uchiha. Contrary to what you believe, I'm not deaf."

He closed his mouth with a _click_ and struggled to keep his normally impassive face from showing shock and disbelief. Naruto was snickering beside him.

_Usuratonkachi.  
_

The sage glanced at her housemate over the parchment and smirked. _Sorry Sasuke but this is part of that research I was talking about. I can't tell you anything yet._ Her blue eyes switched their gaze back to the chortling warrior beside the Uchiha. They seemed to trace his bizarre whisker marks. _You're a very interesting person Naruto Uzumaki._ She glanced down at the calligraphy inked onto the scroll, etching out the differences between demons and humans. The back of her hand tingled. _Very interesting._

* * *

_SWISH! SLASH! Ka-shhhhkkkkkk…_

"Give me another one! I can take it!"

Kiteru paused to take a breath. "Sen, d-don't you think this is enough? We should take a break. B-besides, it's getting close to noon."

"Just toss me another log. I wanna try something new before lunch."

With a sigh, he picked up the block of wood and threw it at the slayer. Senko leaped into the air, moving only one hand through air in quick slashes as it came in contact with the log. _SLICE!_ She landed neatly on the grass, the log toppling in several pieces around her.

Riaru watched the other girl's progress with interest from the side. "How did you do that? I didn't see you draw any weapons and I _know_ you're not strong enough to just chop away at the block like that. You've never trained to be a monk like Kirokose."

"That's because she's cheating," replied said monk. "She's got something hidden in her hands or something that's too small for us all to see."

Their friend grinned. The blue-haired boy had assumed correctly. "It was this." She turned her wrist over to display a retractable dagger attached to her black-gloved wrist. The ends of the dagger gleamed. "Pretty nifty huh? It's used for fast sneak attacks."

The ophan blinked. "Did they give you it at the academy?" she asked.

"Nah. My dad gave it to me for my birthday. I haven't tried it out until today though," said the short-haired girl brightly. She glanced over at Kiteru, who was dutifully collecting the fallen pieces of wood. "Oi! Leave 'em."

Riaru grinned. "Birthday huh?" The smile slowly faded from her face. "It's nice to be remembered on the day you were born." _I don't remember anything from my birthday except for that one guy who looks like Naruto. And even then I don't know if my memory's just playing games with me._

She tried to recall the dream she'd had about the mysterious handsome man with blond hair. His image had been blurred as if someone had taken a knife and a wax candle to it. Only the blond hair continued to shine above the blurry facial features. _Who was he?_

Her friends noticed the sudden change in her face but took it as an expression of sorrow. Senko worried her bottom lip between two teeth. "Maa, sorry about that Riaru. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

Only the ophan was capable of pulling concern out of the normally fierce slayer.

 _Eh?_ "Oh! It's fine!" Riaru stammered. Her mouth pulled up in an easy smile. _I think I better change the subject. I don't like my friends feeling guilty._ "So, do you know what Kakashi-san has planned for Naruto and the other future slayers?"

The other girl shook her head. "Nope. He's been _real_ secretive about the test. I'm not even taking it and he won't pass a word in my direction. It's not like I've spilled information about the slayer exam before." She ignored Kirokose mouthing the words " _sure_ you haven't" behind her.

Riaru began to look worried. She knew Kakashi-san was notorious for giving his students difficult tests that had a high percentage of failure. She didn't want to be rude, but sometimes she figured the man was a closet sadist.

_I hope Naruto knows what he's in for._

"If you're thinkin' about Uzumaki right now, _don't,_ " piped up Senko. "He's in capable hands."

"Y-yes. Chosun-kun and Cassandra will look after him," added Kiteru earnestly. He chose to abandon picking up the log pieces and simply sat on the grass, watching the short bristly stalks wave back and forth. "And I'm sure he'll learn to get along with Uchiha-san." Riaru sent him a strange look. "U-uh well…one can hope. I'm trying to be optimistic here."

The ophan nodded. _I know you are._ She sighed and brought her hand to her forehead. "But I can't help it. Cassie's never had to handle Naruto before. I hope she knows how unpredictable he can get."

Senko snickered. There was an odd twinkle in her red-brown eyes. "And who says that _Cassandra_ isn't unpredictable?" She unsheathed one of her swords from its scabbard attached to her waist and started practicing with it. "We haven't hung around her for quite a long time but I doubt she can't hold her own against Naruto even if she isn't part of the same class." She spun the sword in a wide arc, transferring it from her right hand to the left. The blade whistled across the grass. "Sages aren't meant to be weak."

"A-and if not her then Chosun-kun is more than a match for him and Uchiha-san," Kiteru chimed in. "He's been a slayer for awhile so he's much more knowledgeable and clever with his weapons and—"

He stopped talking due to the looks the girls were sending him. Riaru looked mystified while Senko's expression bordered on amused. In the past few days, Kirokose and Naruto had filled her in about Kiteru's possible "crush" on the taciturn slayer. She couldn't understand it at all, but who was she to judge?

"Oh please do go on about Chosun's cleverness with his weapons," said Kirokose, grinning widely now. "How do you about that? Did you get a hands-on experience?"

"KIRO!" Kiteru was scandalized. "D-don't be such a h-hent-tai!"

" _I'm_ the hentai? _You're_ the one thinking about it," Kirokose answered with a small chuckle. The other boy was too entertaining when he began stuttering.

The hunter opened his mouth to argue—then shut it with a _click._ What was the point? He turned away to grumble (and stutter) about sadistic monks and their poor victims. Kirokose smiled, an invisible scoreboard floating over his head. _Me: 1, Kiteru: 0._

"Who kicks ass?"

Senko sneered. "Keh. You don't."

"You're mean!"

Riaru smiled, amused at her friends' antics. _I can count on them to keep my mind occupied from dreary thoughts. But still…it isn't the same as being around Cassie or Naruto._ She shut her eyes to lose herself in the recesses of her mind. The sound of the others faded into the background. _I wonder how their trip is going._

She tried to imagine them trekking through the hot sands that surrounded the city of Suna. Naruto would probably be complaining about getting sand in places he didn't think were possible. Sasuke and Cassandra would have blank expressions, but they probably wanted to complain about the heat and lack of water. And Chosun would be unaffected by the harsh weather, but annoyed with everything anyway.

The ophan laughed quietly. _I'll bet it's grueling._

* * *

By the time the sun was high above the sand dunes and mountains, the little band of travelers had finally trekked across the difficult part of the desert. The ground gave way to rocks and short patches of sand and dried clay. The heavy wind had died down, leaving behind heat to blur distant images and raise the temperature about one degree short from Hell. That is, unless Hell was a frigid wasteland.

They walked a few more feet before Chosun found a spot in the shade of a rocky cliff that he deemed safe. Naruto immediately flopped down in the shade sending sand up from the ground and his clothes. It wasn't exactly any cooler but the shade helped keep the sun off.

Sasuke sat down beside Naruto but resisted the urge to follow the other boy's undignified example. He instead concentrated on brushing the sand off his cloak and pants. Chosun began laying down tarp on the sand and Cassandra conjured some ice cubes out of nowhere to help the boys cool off.

"Is the weather just like this in Suna?" Naruto asked Chosun. He pressed the melting ice cube against his temple. Oh that felt good!

The slayer paused in laying down the tarp. "You're lucky we're not due for any sandstorms, although Suna is protected against things of that nature.'

"How much further are we?" Sasuke stared in the direction they had been traveling as a bead of sweat traveled down his brow. The mountains were as blurry as ever. "I can't tell."

"We're almost there," Cassandra informed him. She tossed bottles of water (chilled from her _hyo_ ) at them and settled herself down to read the scroll again. She made sure to keep its contents hidden from the curious would-be slayers. "You can't see it now but we'll probably reach the base of Suna at nightfall."

Naruto shifted onto the tarp that Chosun had lay down and closed his eyes. _Guess nobody should care if I take a nap right?_ They wouldn't be moving until the late afternoon anyway.

Beside him, Sasuke snorted. _He should be going over what Chosun's taught us so far and instead the dobe feels like resting?_ He shook his head and closed his eyes to do just that. At least he could use this time to do something useful.

Chosun ignored the fact that Naruto was taking up so much space on the tarp and set about removing a few other supplies needed for the long waiting period. He then moved to the least shady side of the cliff to stand guard.

For the next half-hour, Naruto napped and Sasuke meditated. Chosun came back to retrieve some water and returned to standing guard. Cassandra finished perusing through the scroll and laid it back into her pouch.

 _It's a good thing we found shade. I only know so much about treating sunburn let alone sunstroke,_ Cassandra thought. She stood up, brushing some excess sand off her lap. Her eyes squinted as they stared into the distance where she was pretty sure Suna was. _Hopefully I can have access to the library once we get there. I can't figure out everything from this one scro—eh?_ She frowned. While most of the area was blurred from the heat, a darker blob seemed to be coming toward them.

_What is that?_

Chosun noticed it as well. One hand flew to his weapons holder. He gestured for Cassandra to alert the boys as he stared at the approaching blob. _This could be dangerous._

 _WHAP!_ WHUMP!

"OW!" Naruto shot upward, clutching his head. "What the HELL was that for?"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open and his hand closed swiftly around his housemate's wrist. Cassandra clacked her tongue impatiently against her chapped lips and yanked her hand away from him. "Geez, do you _always_ have to attack me when returning to the world of consciousness?" She got to her feet swiftly.

"Sorry." The boy stood up and brushed his sweaty raven bangs out of his eyes. By now the blob had sharpened into two barely visible figures. One appeared to be slightly shorter than the other.

As the group watched, the two figures slowly approached the cliffs. Then their faces became visible and Cassandra let out an uncharacteristic shriek.

"TEMARI! GAARA!"

She took off across the sand, ignoring the blazing sun overhead, and flung her arms around the slightly smaller boy. The figure beside him, revealed to be a young woman with sandy blond hair, looked perplexed.

Chosun let his hand fall away from his weapons holder but his shock was apparent. _Did she say…Gaara?_ He clenched his teeth. _Damn it._

Naruto and Sasuke blinked simultaneously. So there wasn't any imminent threat?

The sage drew away from her red-haired friend and grinned. "Heh sorry about that. I got a little excited there." She took in his stiff appearance. "Oi, receiving a hug is not exactly a bad thing."

Gaara seemed to come to at that statement. He shook his head. "It just feels strange." His voice retained an emotionless timbre. "Are these your companions?" He tilted his head at the still shocked Naruto and Sasuke. Chosun remained in the shadows for just a little longer.

"Yup," said Cassandra. She motioned for the others to come over out into the sun. "You probably already know Chosun hiding over there. The blond kid with the goofy look on his face is Naruto Uzumaki. And the broody one next to him is Sasuke Uchiha." She nodded at the redhead. "Guys, I'd like you to meet Subaku no Gaara and his sister Temari."

 _Subaku no Gaara?_ Naruto blinked. _That's a wierd name for a person._

He and Sasuke, not knowing what to do really, bowed. Gaara returned the gesture but Temari rolled her eyes. "Honestly! What's with all the formality? We're all around the same age right…except me probably. I'm way too old." She grabbed Naruto's hand and shook it. Up close, he noticed she was very attractive with piercing dark green eyes and a curvy figure her long black kimono did not hide. Her hair stuck out in four odd ponytails on each angle of her head. Her grip was callused and very strong.

"Nice to meet you," she said to him before turning to Sasuke. "So you're the Sasuke that Cassandra's talked so much about." The green irises raked over his body shamelessly. "You're cuter than she said."

"Hn." The Uchiha gave his traditional grunt while Cassandra suddenly looked very interested in a small outcropping of rock jutting from the ground. A small pink hue spread across her pale cheeks.

While Temari was shaking the onyx-eyed boy's hand, Naruto got a good look at Gaara. The boy was a little shorter than he was, although the slender build in the red overshirt and burgundy trousers was obviously hiding some sort of muscle; because there was no _way_ he'd have been able to carry that huge gourd on his back. His hair, in contrast to Temari's sandy blond, was dark red and his aqua green eyes were surrounded by thick dark lines. _Eyeliner…or lack of sleep?_ He also clearly lacked the tan complexion expected of people who lived in the harsh desert. _How?_

"How did you know we were here?" Chosun demanded.

Temari grinned and released Sasuke's hand. Her vivid eyes sparked. "Word got to us that you were coming sometime tonight but we didn't feel like waiting. So Gaara managed to locate where you were staying."

Chosun narrowed his eyes. "I see." He didn't press as to "how" Gaara had managed to do that.

"We figured that the reason your group would not want to travel during this time was because of the heat," said Gaara, allowing a millimeter smile to pass over his lips. "You're not used to it."

"Correction. _They're_ not used to it," said Chosun. He jerked his thumb in the direction of his traveling companions. They scowled at him. "Don't group me in the same category."

"Hey, we can't help that we're not from around here," Naruto protested. "There isn't anything like this back home with all the trees and grass and water."

The siblings looked puzzled. Trees and grass were not foreign to them, but it was still difficult to imagine a place completely _surrounded_ by greenery. _Not to mention excess water._

"Whatever," said Sasuke. His dark irises were laced with impatience. "If Cassandra's friends are here, maybe it would be okay for us to travel at this time. Suna's not _that_ far away is it?"

The redhead glanced at him, scrutinizing his appearance. His light green eyes seemed to flare with avid interest. "No." He turned his gaze to Naruto. The bright sun caught the green irises, making them almost blaze. "Not at all."

Temari noticed the look her brother was giving Sasuke and Naruto, and gulped. _Oooh shit. I think the demon senses their aura. They must be pretty strong._ "Um…hey…how about we gather up all your crap and get to the city before it gets dark? Consider walking through this weather as part of your training. It'll also help you adapt to the terrain around here a lot faster." She tilted her blond head. "Sound good?"

Naruto tore his gaze away from meeting Gaara's eyes. The intense stare the other teen was giving him was bordering on uncomfortable. _I think he wants to kill me or something._ "Yeah! That sounds good! What do you think Sasuke-teme?"

"Hn."

"…I guess that qualifies as an 'okay.'"

Cassandra worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She had also seen Gaara's strange expression as well as the malevolent atmosphere rolling off his body in waves stronger than the heat. _Shukaku's itching for a fight. I can feel it. And yet…this weird sensation I've felt around Gaara…is_ that _what I've been feeling around Naruto lately? Naruto's aura is different, but the undertone is the same._ She bit her tongue. It couldn't be what she'd been suspecting. The mere coincidence was…

"Cassandra."

She looked up to see Sasuke nudging her shoulder. Naruto and Chosun were already gathering up their supplies while the siblings looked on. "I…what's up?"

"Are you okay? What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing too important," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I'm fine Sasuke." She smirked. "Be careful otherwise people would think you actually worry about me."

"Hn." Sasuke rolled his eyes. His stoic mask was back in place. "Like that'll ever happen."

"That hurts my feelings."

"I'm sure you'll live."

* * *

The wind rushed through Riaru's hair as she flew over the sanctuary grounds. The whole of the grounds bore little resemblance to Konohagakure's bustling streets since the ophanin preferred rolling green meadows and sidewalks that glimmered from frequent polish. _I guess we can't resist showing off._ She landed in front of the enormous council building and its surrounding walls. The fountain statues in front, depicting the three greatest ophanin leaders, gleamed as clear water splashed around them.

Riaru stared at the statues, particularly the top one. _There's something familiar about that one._ She couldn't see it too well due to her slight stature, so she used her wings to help her hover over it. Her eyes widened as she gazed at the carved features. _He looks…like…that man in my dreams._ She reached out to touch the handsome stone face. _If I added whisker marks, he'd almost resemble—_

"RIARU!"

"Eep!" Riaru squeaked and withdrew her hand from the statue. Unfortunately, the person had startled her so that she forgot she was hovering directly over the fountain.

_SPLASH!_

The girl came up for air, sputtering water. Across from her, the ophan that had called her last name burst out laughing. She glared at him through dripping green bangs.

"Was there something you needed Hatori-san?"

Hatori stopped laughing and brushed the tears from his eyes. "N-not really. Sorry about that." He grinned. "Got your attention though ne?"

The glare intensified.

"Err…yeah. I'll just be going now." The older ophan waved weakly and scampered off around the side of the council building.

Riaru sighed and got out of the fountain. _Squelch._ She winced, feeling the cold water run down her back and soaking her dress. Droplets rained down on the marble floor. _I would kill him if I had the heart to._ Sighing, she squeezed out the excess water in her hair and let the sun do the rest of the drying process. _But my name isn't Naruto so he's safe._

She sat down on a wooden bench near the fountain. The statue of the Naruto-look-alike seemed to smile at her encouragingly. _I wonder which leader you were. The first? The second?_

"I can't believe you Hatori! That fountain is sacred!"

"And not to mention all that water is over the ground now! Water isn't cheap you know!"

Angry voices drifted over to her from the council building. She stood up. _Are they chastising Hatori-san for making me fall into the fountain?_ She shrunk her wings and walked over to the side of the building. Whoever was speaking couldn't see her from this angle.

"Hey I didn't mean to startle her." Hatori's voice sounded earnest. "And now that I think about it…why are you so concerned for the fountain's welfare? Shouldn't you be more concerned about Riaru's?"

One of the voices, a female, snapped. "We were just getting to her actually. What if she'd injured herself?"

"But she _didn't,_ " said Hatori cheerfully. "Her wings shielded her from the brunt of the fall."

"Don't think you can excuse your actions just now!" said the female ophan harshly. "What if she couldn't use them to react in time? Or what if she hadn't learnt how to fly yet?"

Hatori looked confused. _I don't get it. Then she wouldn't have been able to get up there in the first place._

"Why was that child so interested in the fountain anyway?" a male ophan asked. "She's never taken a glance at it before."

Hatori fell silent for a few minutes. When he finally spoke, his tone was serious. "She was looking at the statue of Minato."

The group of ophanin drew in a collective gasp. "Namikaze-san?" the female ophan whispered. The name sounded like a prayer. "Why?"

 _Minato Namikaze,_ Riaru recited to herself, fixing the name into her memory. The man in her dreams now had a name to add to the face. _Minato Namikaze. Konnichiwa Minato Namikaze. You may call me Riaru.  
_

"Why?" the ophan repeated and there seemed to be barely suppressed emotion behind her voice.

"I don't see why she would be interested in him," said another ophan. "After all, she was only a year old when he died."

Hatori deliberately took his voice down a few notches because Riaru could barely hear him over the chatter of the other demons. She leaned closer to the building. "Listen…the kid has every right to be curious about the sanctuary's leaders. We barely pay her enough attention when she does come up here to visit. You've all seen her hard work in the Tenshi Garden and I've never seen her complain about it. Minato knew what he was doing when he saved her."

"I'm sure he did." Another male ophan sounded skeptical. "But what about saving his son eh? I'm not sure it was a good idea to seal the demon. There's no guarantee it will hold."

Riaru took a step back when Hatori raised his voice in outrage. _I guess he decided to forgo whispering._ "Are you saying my cousin should have _let_ Jin kill him? That's practically like filicide! Minato wanted his son to _live._ "

"And we abided by his wishes. His son is still alive along with Riaru." The female ophan seemed to be doing her best to soothe the distressed man. "However, sometimes I wonder if it was kind of us to let the boy live. I mean…he still doesn't know what he _is._ "

"Or what he can become," added another ophan.

"And isn't that our fault?" Hatori sounded sarcastic. "We could have allowed Iruka to tell him."

_Iruka-otousan?_

"You know he is sworn to secrecy as is anyone else who is aware of what kind of power the boy holds. Iruka stated that was part of the bargain with Jin."

Hatori frowned. "I still say we've been stupid this whole time. Forget our tension with the humans. We should have told Naruto everything _years_ ago. Minato wouldn't have wanted him to be completely ignorant. Then at least he would know why he never fit in down there."

Riaru's jaw dropped. She stumbled backward, her heart racing. _D-did they say…Naruto?_ She turned to look at the statues in the fountain. Minato's statue was smiling at her and she realized now how similar that smile was to Naruto's.

 _So that means…Minato Namikaze…was…_ is _…Naruto's father?_

If the previous leader of the ophanin was Naruto's father, wouldn't that make Naruto an ophan as well?

It was absurd. Naruto did not have any of the primary characteristics of an ophan. He had no wings or any means of flight. His skin tone did not have the vibrant glow that ophanin seemed to emit. Any of the unique gifts ophanin had were inaccessible to him. And he was very slow at mastering the magic the humans used when they should have come easy to him.

 _But…it kind of makes sense. He looks like Minato-san. He's very different from other people. The amount of energy he has is almost abnormal. And he has accelerated healing. I've seen it once before. But…but Naruto doesn't have Minato-san's last name. He's an Uzumaki, not a Namikaze. Then what does that mean? Was he illegitimate? And if I was saved along with him…is_ my _father…Namikaze Minato? Are we…is Naruto_ really _my brother?_

Riaru pressed her fingers to her head. She felt dizzy.

* * *

The city of Suna was strange but beautiful in an aesthetic way. It was situated within a wall of earth and stone, hidden away from the desert winds. A large crack in the wall served as the single opening inside the cliff.

Gaara and Temari guided the Konoha group inside the "doorway" (bypassing the guards) and they emerged onto a paved street with large earthen buildings on all sides. Some buildings resembled domes while others seemed to be spheres and cylinders stacked on top of one another. Windows and doors were hewn into the craggy streets snaked around the buildings, forming a series of maze-like passageways and alleys. Wooden stands and signs were scattered along the edges of the streets just like back in Konoha. The air was thankfully much cooler than outside even though the sun was still angled toward the city.

"Sugoi." Naruto gazed at his surroundings in awe. "This place is amazing."

Temari smiled at him. "Glad you like it so far." She pointed at a large tan building in the center of the city. It was shaped like an upended bowl with the windows serving as designs. A large white circle with a red symbol for "wind" was etched along the front. Earth passages snaked around and out of the building. "That's the administrative building. It's where the Shuryo works and where the conference rooms are held. Some of the other city officials live there as well." She nodded at a spot of green that was visible behind the building. It looked strange compared to its arid surroundings. "We've got a greenhouse up there. Some of the plants are converted into medicine by the sages."

"You've got sages here too?" Naruto asked. He was surprised.

"We aren't as different from Konoha as you think," Gaara answered him tonelessly. "We have similar classes and we do have a small academy with which to teach the students. The only classes we lack are those in the healing department. Mages and sages take over that department."

"So what class are you supposed to be then?" the other boy couldn't help asking. He had a pretty good suspicion that Temari was from the warrior class or higher, but Gaara's status eluded him.

Gaara returned his curious blue gaze blankly. "Different," he said and left it at that.

A few of the city's inhabitants were coming out of their dwellings. Those who recognized Chosun greeted him with enthusiasm. Others took to staring at the group as they made their way under a rock-hewn canopy and into the administrative building. It was here that Cassandra hung back.

"Uh…guys…you can all arrange the living arrangements without me can't you? I'm going to check out the library."

"But we just got here," said Chosun. "Your personal studies could wait couldn't they?"

The girl shook her head. "I'm afraid not. If I delay this any longer I might end up forgetting what I was supposed to be looking for."

Temari noticed the discreet look Cassandra was sending Gaara. She had a pretty good prediction as to why the sage insisted they leave without her. _She needs to speak to Gaara alone._ "Come on then boys. Gaara will look after her. Won't you otouto?" Her speech was mockingly sweet.

Gaara glared at her for the addition of "otouto", but he nodded slowly.

"Go on then." Temari nudged each of the younger boys forward. Well…except Chosun that is. He just stalked on ahead, shooting a suspicious glance in Gaara's direction as he passed. The redhead merely gazed at him as if he were nothing more than one of the millions of dirt specks on the desert walls.

Sasuke shrugged and was about to follow the pair down the hallway when Naruto laid a hand on his arm.

"What dobe?"

"Sshh." Naruto gestured to the disappearing backs of Cassandra and Gaara. "I'm gonna follow them."

"You'll get in trouble."

"I know." The blond warrior tugged his rival after them. "That's why I'm taking you with me. Cassandra won't do anything to you."

Sasuke struggled to hang back even though he was warring with curiosity at what the sage was up to. "I'm not getting in trouble for anything _you_ do! And just because I'm her housemate doesn't save me from her wrath. Besides, there's still Gaara. We don _'_ t know what he _'_ s capable of."

Naruto cuffed him over the ear. "Shut up will ya? They've stopped." He muttered _"Fuuton: Cloak"_ under his breath and managed to cover both his and Sasuke's bodies with the spell before anyone could spot them. "Now just stay quiet."

" _You're_ not one to tell me that you loud-mouthed knucklehead."

* * *

Once the others were presumably out of earshot, Cassandra tugged on her red-haired friend's arm to get his attention. "Before I tell you about what I've figured out about your condition, please tell me why you were staring at Sasuke and Naruto like they were your next prey."

The boy lifted a nonexistent eyebrow. Seeing as the motion confused Cassandra, he opted for tilting his head to one side. "I can smell the power on them." He sniffed. "It's very enticing."

"Ah. Well while that's pleasant Gaara, I don't think it would be a good idea for them to fight you. It isn't safe."

He narrowed his eyes. "You mean _I'm_ not safe."

"It's Shukaku and not _you_ that's the dangerous one," Cassandra argued. "Well…it doesn't mean you're not dangerous but…forgive me for feeling just a little protective. They haven't seen what you can do." She held out the scroll she'd been perusing through the entire last leg of the journey. "Anyway, I wasn't lying when I said I needed to use the library. Does it have any books about hybrids? This scroll doesn't give me enough information."

"I don't think so." Gaara lifted his shoulder in a one-armed shrug. "I don't think my people found it necessary to contain any information on the relationships between humans and demons. I'm just a genetic hiccup for all they know." He rolled his eyes. _The strangest genetic hiccup I've ever heard of._

Cassandra nodded; her mind back with the time she'd brushed against Naruto in Konoha's forest. The tingles she'd felt were similar to the traces of demon aura she could detect coming from Gaara's skin.

"Gaara…did you sense anything about Naruto? _Anything_ at all?"

His kohl-edged eyes narrowed. "Like what?" Inside him, the aura of Shukaku burned restlessly. The instinct to find a strong opponent was calling and he had to rein it in.

"Like maybe…maybe he was just like you?" Cassandra chewed on her bottom lip, catching a dark strand with it. It tasted of sand and rosemary. She shoved her hair away. "Like maybe he's a hybrid just like you?"

Gaara's light eyes stared into hers for a long time. There was no malice in their green depths, but a burning inquisitiveness.

"No." He shook his head. "He isn't like me."

The girl sighed in disappointment. "I see." _So my theory's off._ "He isn't a demon then."

"You misunderstand." Gaara's irises were still burning. "I said he isn't like me. He's…this power…is something else. It's demonic, yes, but not the same kind I'm accustomed to."

Cassandra stared. Her nerves began to click and whirl as impulses traveled up and down the grooves of her brain. "But he's not an ophan or a yokai. He doesn't have wings and he can't transform." _So if he's not really a demon…and he's not human…what the hell is he?_ "Unless he's a new kind of hybrid. But that's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Gaara crossed his arms. He smiled thinly. "The idea of a yokai taking advantage of a human is not uncommon. Why should a yokai mating with an ophan be?"

 _But that would make Naruto a hybrid of demon races,_ the sage thought. _And that is too weird. He looks nothing like what two demons would create together. I mean, he isn't ugly but he's not…irresistible. Besides, the two races hate each other. They've always hated…unless…they_ didn't _always hate each other._ She furrowed her brow. _Maybe there was a time when a union between two demons was not considered taboo._

She found it odd that her mind had taken such an avid interest in Naruto Uzumaki when it was usually focused on dealing with Sasuke. Perhaps she was sticking her nose in business where it didn't belong. But, her mind argued, this information could be useful in helping Gaara deal with his insomnia and other problems Shukaku left him with. Besides, she figured she was doing her family a favor by actually relying on the bloodline trait to separate aura.

 _Those scars on Naruto's face…they weren't etched there by any kunai I know. Suppose they give me a clue as to…_ She raised her head. "Gaara, your library may not have books about hybrids, but it does have books detailing the different types of yokai right?"

"Yes."

"Good." She walked down the hall with the quiet boy trailing behind. "'Cause I'm going to find out which yokai had whiskers. And then I'll see about your condition."

* * *

Naruto disabled the cloaking spell shakily. Sasuke pushed away from the rock wall, frowning after Cassandra's retreating back. "She i-isn't telling the truth…" Naruto gulped. "Is she?"

 _Am I really…not human? All this time, is this the reason why the people of Konoha hate me so much? I'm not…I'm_ not _a demon! I_ CAN'T _be a demon!_

"Sasuke?" The Uchiha was still staring down the hall. "She's wrong…right?"

 _C_ _'mon teme. Answer me. Tell me something!_

Sasuke didn't say anything, but his onyx eyes drifted to rest on Naruto's whisker scars. The blond had had those scars for as long as he'd known him.

"Sasuke?"

Slowly, he reached over and touched one of the whisker scars. It felt slightly rough, like a callus developed from wielding weapons all day. The skin surrounding the scar was smooth from sweat and very warm.

Naruto flinched and backed away from him, feeling his shoes scuff on the paved walkway. The feel of his rival's semi-soft fingers on his face was unsettling. "What are you doing?"

"…I don't know."

Sasuke straightened and walked toward the opposite end of the hall where they'd last seen Temari and Chosun. Both of the Suna residents would no doubt notice their absence soon enough. The other warrior shrugged and followed him.

What Naruto didn't realize was that Sasuke had answered both of his questions with that single statement.

**To Be Continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other important stuff):
> 
> Shuryo: means "leader." In this universe, the title of "Shuryo" signifies the leader of the different cities same as "kage" meant leader of the hidden villages. Unlike "kage", there is no distinct title for the "Shuryo" (Ex: not like Ho-kage or Kaze-kage).
> 
> Katon: Fire Breath: means "Release Fire! Fire Breath." This spell utilizes the fire element to jet flames from the user's mouth. The attack is one of the more basic spells with its key advantage being that the user may call it back.
> 
> Doton: Earth Illusion: means "Release Earth! Earth Illusion." By hitting the ground, this earth spell allows the dirt or whatever is underneath to fly up and create a barrier/illusion around the user. This is one of the spells that all classes are able to learn.
> 
> Hikariton: Cure: means "Release Light! Cure." This healing spell allows the caster to call forth spheres of light to heal minor cuts and injuries. Larger injuries will be subdued to bruises or scars.
> 
> Konban-wa: means "good evening."
> 
> Joshi: means "girl." Another word for girl would be "shoujo."
> 
> Hentai: means "pervert". This is the stronger form of "ecchi" (not much explanation is needed for this one XD).
> 
> Sui: means "water."
> 
> Filicide: means to commit an act of murder against a family member.
> 
> *For those of you who might have been wondering how Cassandra gets around (since she knows Neji pretty well), all of the noble families have interacted with each other on occasion so Shino and Neji and Hinata would also be familiar with each other. Plus, her siblings are married into the Hyuuga clan so they're basically related...sort of.
> 
> **Japanese phrases used in this fic will be used depending on the situation and who is the speaker. Usually the more polite the characters are trying to be, the more often they will use the Japanese phrase or word (except in Naruto's sarcastic case).


	8. Origin

_"There are very few monsters that warrant the fear we have of them,"-_ Andre Gide

Namikaze Hatori breathed a sigh of relief as the fountain and the council building disappeared behind him. His strong wings took him higher in the air. _I don't want to deal with the rest of the council members for the rest of the day._ He'd had enough of their squabbling over Tsunade's decision to bring Naruto to the sanctuary and managed to escape while everyone else was too preoccupied. _Can't they just admit that, since she's the leader, she has the most say and go along with it?_

The council just had to make everything difficult. In order to distinguish themselves from their bloodthirsty yet authoritative brethren, the yokai, they had to resort to compromising which only led to the greatest of his pet peeves: arguing.

 _Why can't we just settle this by attacking each other? That's effective_ and _it blows off unnecessary stress._ He snorted. _Oh yeah. Because it makes us seem more like animals and only the_ yokai _resort to that._

"Hatori-san!"

Hatori halted his path across the sky and glanced over his shoulder, tan wings flapping up and down to keep him hovering. It had better not be one of the council members. He didn't think they'd have missed him already.

But it was Riaru who was following him on his flight. She too halted about a few feet away, white wings moving up and down with the air currents. The sleeveless matching coat she wore fluttered over her modest gray tunic. Both were still wet around the hem and waist. "I'm glad I caught up to you."

Hatori frowned politely. "Why were you following me?"

Her eyes glanced around discreetly, hoping to catch any eavesdroppers. Finding none, she addressed him in a quiet voice. "I need to ask you something about…about what you were saying today."

"You mean about me accidentally startling you?"

"No. About…" Riaru hesitated. "About…what you said to the council…about Naruto."

 _Aw shit._ Hatori sucked in his breath sharply. _I forgot Riaru was still hanging around the fountain. No doubt we were talking too loudly and something we said definitely caught her interest._

Riaru must have sensed he wanted to get away because she latched onto his arm, keeping him hovering in place. "Please Hatori-san." Her large eyes searched his. "Is Naruto…my brother or not?"

"No!"

The word burst from his throat before he'd considered their tone. Riaru looked startled.

"Sorry." _Let's try that again._ "No Riaru. Naruto isn't your brother." He shook his head. "You can be sure of that. Your parents weren't the same as his."

The younger ophan nodded slowly. She looked almost disappointed. "But he is still considered an ophan isn't he?"

"Well…" Hatori searched around in his head for the correct words to describe his nephew's condition. "I guess so. But there's a lot more to it than that."

"Like the fact he doesn't have wings or the powers of an ophan?" Hatori nodded. Riaru crossed her arms, nearly losing her balance in the air since she forgot about her flapping her wings. "So when you say he's considered an ophan, he's only part ophan then since he seems more like a human. But why would Namikaze-san choose a non-ophan to have his son?"

 _This girl is too good._ "It's…complicated." That was the best he could do for now without giving away the whole story of Naruto's birth and its connection to _another_ demonic race.

"And why would the other ophanin choose to keep Naruto's parentage a secret?" Riaru's eyes narrowed. "They can see how the humans are treating him. Why would they stand aside?"

 _That's even more complicated._ Hatori placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. He was starting to get tired from constantly flapping his wings to hover. _I_ _'m not as young as I used to be._ "Look Riaru, I can't tell you much about this stuff. Like the other ophanin, I'm sworn to secrecy unless Tsunade says otherwise. But…do you remember the message you were instructed to give Naruto?" She nodded. "Okay, _that's_ when you'll learn everything. Not a day before all right?"

Riaru sighed. "Fine," she whispered. "I just don't understand why everything has to be a secret."

Hatori laughed. "Well…life's just full of those."

* * *

_SLAM!_

Tsunade jerked her head up from its collapsed position over her desk. A memo was stuck to her cheek and a pen rested on top of her straggly blonde head. "Mmmph…Seiya?" She stared at her assistant who looked as if a dark pall was hanging over her head. She winced as her eyes struggled to adjust to the light coming from her window in the back of the room. "When did you get back from Konoha?"

The ophan twitched. "Not too long ago," she muttered. One hand pushed back a wing of pale green hair. "Did you get any work done Tsunade-sama…or were you sleeping this whole time?"

Tsunade shrugged, the pen rolling off her head. She peeled the memo away from her cheek. Hopefully there wasn't any drool on it. "I finished some of the paperwork before I decided to catch up on sleep. So how was the meeting?"

"The meeting went smoothly as you're probably aware of," said Seiya. Her wings shrunk out of sight. "They wish to see you and Hatori-san in two weeks to discuss the future of our two races."

"Well that's a load off my chest. I can use a vacation from this place," Tsunade said brightly. "But if everything went well then what's with the annoyance that came in with you?"

Seiya's expression suddenly turned sour again. "It wasn't the meeting that annoyed me. It was the pest that came _after_ the meeting." She crossed her arms. "I ran into Hiashi Hyuuga's nephew outside of the building."

"Which nephew? I'm sure he has several."

"His name was Neji."

Tsunade's eyebrows rose. "Oh _that_ nephew. He's a smarty-pants from what I hear. And…" She smirked. "I hear he's cute too."

"Cute?" Seiya practically spat out the word. "He's arrogant and rude. And..." She flushed. "…he seems perverted."

Tsunade's smirk broadened. So the Hyuuga had been checking out her little assistant eh? "The cute ones usually are."

"Oh really?" Seiya gave her leader a sly look. "Funny, you didn't say that about Jiraiya-sama when he came up here to visit and—."

"THAT is completely different!" Tsunade huffed. She shook her head, reaching for a bottle of unidentifiable amber liquid on the edge of her desk. Seiya eyed it warily as she took a swig. "Anyway, so what did he do? Cop a feel?"

"He just stared at me with those eyes of his!" Seiya looked disgusted. "It doesn't matter what he did Tsunade-sama. I just felt a little violated that's all."

Tsunade shrugged, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "You're forgetting that since the Hyuuga clan is a noble powerful clan, they don't trust anyone easily. They're the strongest clan in the city so they have to uphold a certain image of superiority. I'm pretty sure he just used his Byakugan on you to see if you were legit."

"He saw through my _clothes_ Tsunade-sama!"

"And probably through your skin and bones too," said the blonde ophan sarcastically. She took another drink, draining the bottle.

Seiya sputtered, indignant words jumbled together.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Okay, she'd stop teasing her assistant. _For now._ "Aaah forget about him Sei. He's not worth getting pissed about. You probably won't see him too often anyway since he's the clan heir's bodyguard. He has more important things to do than deal with demons."

She wasn't entirely sure about that but it seemed to appease Seiya. The young ophan looked much more at ease.

Good. Tsunade chucked the empty bottle over her shoulder, ignoring the resulting _crash_ where it hit the floor. There were several others just like it. "So are you going to help me finish this paperwork or what?"

Seiya groaned. "Didn't you say _you_ were going to do it?"

The ophan leader grinned and stood up. "Aw, fine. I'll finish it later. You can go have a break. I've got a visitor here."

"Thank you Tsunade-sama." Her assistant bowed and left the room, neglecting to shut the door behind her.

"She's pretty reliable."

Tsunade's playful grin dropped as her visitor (hiding near the wall) reached out and shut the door. She sat back down again, fingers resting lightly against the top of the desk. "I know she is. But that it isn't what you came to talk to me about is it Kakashi?"

He inclined his head in the negative.

"So out with it. Why are you here instead of our usual honorary human liaison: Jiraiya the pervert?"

Kakashi suppressed his laughter behind the mask. "Jiraiya-san is very busy so I was sent in his place. Shuryo Sarutobi gave me and the Anbu slayers the heads-up on what you were planning to do. He just has to sort it out with the elders."

"And?"

"You have to be careful," he warned. "Some people aren't going to make this new move pleasant for you. A few of the Anbu aren't totally loyal to the Shuryo and his ideals."

She smiled bitterly. _I thought so._ "So are you going to tell me who I have to watch out for or what? You're not exactly bound to secrecy."

Kakashi's eye crinkled. He still appeared calm despite the negative information he just disclosed to her. The swirls of energy she could feel but not see curled in soothing tendrils around his body.

"Danzo."

One word. That was all. Yet it was enough to snap Tsunade out of her temporary stupor. She hadn't heard that name in years.

"The warmonger? I thought he keeled over by now."

"Nope. He's still in pretty good health for a guy pushing into his seventies. He's only been kept in the shadows since Sarutobi-sama took the title of Shuryo. He does participate in any meetings with the elders though, and some of the select Anbu answer only to him."

Tsunade glared at the stack of papers and pens in front of her desk. "Hmph." _He obviously doesn't think we can be trusted because we're demons._ "Maybe he needs some extra convincing." She made sure Kakashi did not miss the slight crack of her knuckles.

The slayer grinned…or at least it looked like he did. "Don't do anything you'll regret Tsunade-sama."

"Eh I'm not gonna try anything," she replied airily. One hand reached for the top sheet on top of the stack of paper. The other reached for a pen. "I know better. I'll wait until the two weeks are up before I even see to the guy." She tilted her blonde head toward the door. "And now you've got to ask Hatori to take you back down to Konoha. I promised I'd actually get some work done today."

_I'll never promise something like that again._

* * *

Temari stopped in front of the Shuryo's office and knocked on the door twice. She turned around to face the small party of boys with a grin. "My brother just wants to mention a few things to you guys before he turns you loose on the city. You don _'_ t need to clean up or anything. He doesn _'_ t care." There was a faint _click,_ signaling the unlocking of the door. "C'mon." She pushed open the door and gestured for the boys to enter before her.

The room was perfectly circular like Naruto had imagined it to be. The earthen walls had round glass windows fitted into them, overlooking the downtown district of the city and a bit of the greenhouses. A young man with purple-red paint on his face and a large black cat-eared hat was sitting at the large carved desk in the middle of the room. There was also a strange brown puppet with darker brown hair tuffs and three large eyes hanging on one of the walls, looking out of place in the room. Naruto couldn't help staring at it.

"Kankuro."

The young man looked up. "Hey Temari." He inclined his head, black eyes lingering on the trio crowded in front of his desk. He gave his sister a searching look. "Aren't we one psychotic redhead and one sarcastic sage short?"

"Gaara and Cassandra had plans of their own," replied Temari. She swept an arm out toward the teens behind her. "The unfamiliar ones are called Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto's the blond with the weird tattoo fetish—"

Naruto sputtered. "WHAT?" _Your brother looks like the one with the tattoo fetish and these are scars! Y'see? SCARS._

"—and Sasuke's the cute-in-a-girly-way guy."

"Hn."

Kankuro grinned. Obviously, the boys weren't used to his sister's outspoken nature. "Nice to meet ya." He carelessly waved a hand toward the lack of chairs in front of the desk. "I'd ask you sit down but there was a meeting earlier today and they stole my chairs," he said with a small chuckle. When the boys did not say anything, he continued. "As of today, you are considered my guests in the city. Chosun will act as your guard and guide since he knows you more than the rest of us. Don't let the whole 'guest' thing go to your heads though. There are some things I _can't_ bail you out of."

"Like what?" Naruto asked without thinking (of course). Sasuke resisted the urge to smack him in front of the others.

The Shuryo shrugged. "Well…if you catch my little brother on one of his bad days, I don't guarantee I can help you out with his wrath." His dark eyes were twinkling with amusement. "Anyway, Temari can show you where the inn is and Chosun can give you a grand tour of the city. I'd go with you but…" he indicated to a stack of papers on the desk. "I got stuff to do."

Temari nodded. "Okay. Just make sure not to use Karasu to fake that you're doing work this time _Shuryo-sama._ "

Kankuro snorted and waved her away. "Yeah, yeah. Just go."

* * *

Suna's library was a small building at the back of the city. A few shelves and tables lay scattered around a single musty-smelling room. The light hanging from the fixtures up above was dim.

"I hope you have these books listed in alphabetical order Gaara," Cassandra muttered, reaching for one of the large books sitting on the bottom of the last row of shelves. Each of the tomes had yellowed edges and the ends of their bindings were frayed. She gazed at the bent edges of the book she was holding critically. "It looks like this one must've been a favorite."

Gaara shrugged. "That one was checked out by Temari a lot. She liked the pictures." His restless spirit seemed to have calmed down now that they were away from the others.

"I see." Cassandra thumbed through the worn pages, only skimming across the pages depicting detailed analyzes of the ophanin. These pages included beautifully elaborate paintings of each ophan leader, including the present one Tsunade. "The yokai are near the back right?"

"Right."

There were no such books like this in Konoha. The only books that even spoke about the demon races were the ancient tomes detailing the history of the city and the world beyond it. There were other old scrolls that listed the great heroes who died on the day of the yokai attack (October 10). But none of the tomes presented the demon races in an entirely objective light, especially the yokai.

"Stop."

Cassandra stopped thumbing through the pages and the book fell open. "What is it?"

Gaara pointed at the giant chart on one of the pages. "Humans are ignorant of the powers of yokai so the writers only listed what they know and who they know." He tapped on one of the listed names. "You're lucky. This yokai is the only one listed as having three whisker marks when retaining a human appearance."

 _Kushina…the Nine-tailed Kitsune…interesting._ Cassandra checked the number the writers had thankfully placed beside the listed demon and flipped to the page. Gaara stopped her when she went too far.

On the sheet was an extraordinary-looking woman with long vibrant red hair. Her skin was pale, drawing attention to her cerulean blue eyes. She also had the aforementioned scars etched on her cheeks, and dark red wings curved around her slim body. On the page beside Kushina was an equally extraordinary silver fox with nine large tails whipping around it. The fox's eyes, unlike Kushina's, were bright red with a slice down the middle of the pupil and through the iris.

The painter seemed to have taken extreme effort with both images because Kushina's hair seemed to shimmer as if touched by fire and each fold of the dark blue dress she was wearing stood out. The fox's visage was sleek and almost real, each strand of fur carefully painted in as if light seemed to shine across it.

"She's beautiful," Cassandra whispered, staring at Kushina's image. Her fingers reached out to trace along the painted wings and up to the scars. "How old was she?"

"We don't know. She died years before this tome was written." Gaara gestured to the picture. "If you paid more attention to the information and less on the picture, you would _know_ that," he said pointedly.

 _Smartass._ Cassandra tore her eyes away from Kushina and focused on the passage regarding her past. _Nothing showing her birthday…but it says she died on the same day the yokai attacked. October 10._ She frowned. _October 10…Naruto was born on that day…I remember Riaru telling me. I'm pretty sure there might have been other babies born but…Naruto was the only one who was rejected since that day…still is._

Gaara watched her thought process traveling across the reactions in her eyes. He would never tell her, but she looked fascinating when she was thinking with all of her expressions open to anyone's gaze.

Cassandra did not know why Naruto was hated by the people of Konoha. She stared hard at Kushina's face. But she had a pretty good idea now.

_These eyes…these scars…they're the same as his. That only means…_

"Gaara?"

"What?"

"I think I've found Naruto's mother."

* * *

_Drip. Drip._

Cold water trickled along one of the cavern walls, hanging and dripping from its opening. Beyond the opening was a sea of darkness. Jin shook his head and proceeded to enter the cave in search of his brother.

"Orochimaru!" He bent his head to avoid smacking into a dangling stalactite. "I know you're in here." His yellow eyes easily adjusted to the darkness of the cave's interior. "I need to talk to you about something."

At the back of the cave, coiled up in a large ball, lay a gigantic dark purple snake with black lines marking around its eyes and along its scales. Its yellow eyes, the black pupil resembling a slice down the center, glowed faintly.

_**"What do you wish to speak to me about?"** _

The snake hissed several times in Jin's direction, but the yokai understood exactly what it was saying when listening to his underhearing. "It's about the kitsune." He took a step forward. "I need to talk to you about the seal on Kushina's spawn."

The snake stared at him through unblinking eyes. Then it slowly uncoiled itself, raising its giant head and swaying to an unheard dance. The purple scales peeled away and receded into alabaster skin, and the body of the snake shrank to the size of a tall thin human. Those black markings around its eyes shrunk away; scales around the crown changing into long black hair. Its tail forked into two legs, the long torso became compact, and then Jin was staring into the yellow eyes of his older brother.

Orochimaru's pale lips lifted in a smile. "The seal eh?" His pale fingers drifted down the front of his naked chest as if caressing it.

Jin grunted. "Would you please put some clothes on first?" He flung a hand toward the crumbled black robe beside Orochimaru.

"Your prudish side is showing," said Orochimaru with a small smirk. He reached for the robe and wrapped it around his thin body. "So why do you wish to speak me about the seal? It's not breaking is it?"

Jin shook his head. "It's not breaking but I _can_ feel it weakening. As I am essentially the other half of the keeper of the seal, I am able to feel its binding prowess." His face twisted at the thought of sharing a link to the son of his hated enemy. "As the boy grows older, he gains more skill and becomes more powerful. But the power levels also feed the demonic energy behind the seal so as time goes on…"

"…the seal isn't enough to contain the power," Orochimaru finished nonchalantly. He rubbed his hand across the rough surface of the cave wall behind him. "I got that. So what are you so worried about? The seal will break and we'll have free reign over the humans of Fire Country again. _I_ don't see any reason to fuss _._ "

"That's not it." Jin's voice, in total contrast to his brother's, was grim. "When the seal breaks, the power will be unleashed without an outlet. It will consume his mind, leaving little rationality."

"Your point?"

"My point is he won't be choosy over his targets," Jin muttered. "So what do you say to that? If we allow the others to satiate themselves, they'll be open for attack. The powers of a demon, especially a _held back_ demon, are devastating."

Orochimaru lifted his thin brows. Yokai were not known for being concerned about anyone's welfare except their own. Even their young were disciplined to care mainly about themselves.

"And I find it a waste of energy if we have to end up fighting for our lives instead of enjoying ourselves."

 _Now_ that _sounds more like my brother._ Orochimaru smiled. "So what do you propose I should do about it? You're the one who's tied to the seal."

Jin held out his hands. The darkness leeched away their paleness, making them look gray. "I need to know how to deal with the chaos if it breaks."

" _When_ it breaks."

"Whatever."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Why don't we deal with that when you start to sense a crack or two in the seal?" he suggested. "As it is, it might be too early for the boy to be feeling murderous thoughts toward whoever may hurt that ophan girl. He should only be around seventeen. The most humans seem to feel around that age is hormones."

Jin gave him a strange look. "Isn't that similar to us? Not that I'm comparing us to the humans." _The thought sickens me._

"I suppose." Orochimaru grinned, revealing yellow-stained fangs. He plucked at his robe with spidery fingers before sliding them through his sable hair. "But we have much better control than the humans because we don't let emotion cloud our minds. When it does—"

"The results never work out in our favor. I know." Jin rubbed his chin. He supposed Orochimaru was right. It would be too early for the hybrid's emotions to take over. "Still, I think it would be wise to discuss my thoughts on Minato's son and the seal with the other members of our brethren. Arrange for everyone to gather in the center of the compound tonight."

Orochimaru's head seemed to undulate, shimmering back and forth between his animal host and humanoid form. There was the smell of cold stone and sulfur in the air. His yellow eyes gleamed. "If that is what you wish," he hissed. "You are the leader after all."

Jin nodded. "I think I'll check on my son's progress with his shifting. Care to join me Aniki?"

The elder yokai shook his head. "Kazuki is your responsibility. I was going to sleep for a few more minutes and then observe the humans from afar. Mmmm, there are a few specimens I've found intriguing." He licked his lips.

Jin shook his head at the seemingly erotic motion. He _knew_ why his brother spent so much time watching the human race in Konoha in spite of not being able to proposition them. _Intriguing my ass. More like fuck-worthy._

"Suit yourself." Orochimaru slid back into the shadows, dropping his robe as scales once again raced across his body. Jin looked away.

* * *

"That's a restroom, that's a post box, that's _another_ restroom, that's a—"

"Uh…Chosun?" Naruto tapped the slayer on the shoulder. "I think we can tell what those places are. Maybe you should show us the places we don't know."

Chosun shrugged. "When the Shuryo suggested I give you a tour of the city, he didn't give me any specifics. So I'm still giving you a tour. It's just not the one you probably expected."

Naruto groaned. It figured that Chosun would choose now of all times to adopt a sense of humor. Maybe they would have been better off with Temari.

"We don't have all day Okami. Cassandra expects us to be ready to train with her in the evening," said Sasuke from behind them. "And in case you want to deal with _her_ when explaining why we're late, I suggest you get this tour over with properly _._ "

The scarred man stiffened and Naruto watched his brows furrow as if to digest Sasuke's little statement. _Hm. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he's afraid of Cassandra._

"Fine." Chosun gestured to another dome-shaped building that was smaller than the administrative one. A strange insignia was stitched onto a flag hanging over the front. "That is the headquarters of the hunter corps. They take on smaller jobs such as promoting the peace and keeping everyone in order. Occasionally they'll assign larger missions to the hunters as well…same as Konoha does."

 _Well at least we're getting somewhere now_ , thought Naruto. "Do you also have a place where the slayers work?"

"We don't have an office," Chosun answered him. "Whenever the council needs to assign missions to us, they contact us personally via messages." He noticed the slight frown on Naruto's sweaty whiskered face. "It's different from Konoha."

Sasuke glanced at the brown dome-shaped stores and restaurants. A tiny drop of sweat worked its way down his brow and dangled on his angular cheekbones. He wiped it off impatiently. "So I don't suppose you have much greenery around here huh?"

Chosun's face brightened. "There's the greenhouse like Temari said. Would you like to see it?"

Sasuke shrugged. It mattered little to him, but a greenhouse sounded a lot cooler than being out in the desert sun.

"Lead the way!" Naruto cheered. Anything that would shield them from the heat was welcome in his opinion. "Is it far from here?"

"Not really," said Chosun. He wound his way through the dirt streets and up a flight of stone stairs. There was was no one walking through the streets because of the heat of the day. Sasuke and Naruto followed at a close distance. "It's higher in elevation than the rest of the city." He pointed up ahead at a building shaped like a cylinder on its side. Trees and grass, startlingly green against the brown earth, surrounded it. "I guess the council figured that the plants around here need to be nearer to the sunlight and away from the dust."

There was a young brunette loitering near the entrance by the time the boys had arrived at the greenhouse. Her brown flak jacket was almost similar to Chosun's, but it had extra buckles on the shoulderpads and scroll patches on the lower left breast. Chosun whispered something under his breath that sounded almost like "matsuri."

Naruto's eyebrows lifted. _A matsuri? Where? Here?_

The girl's brown eyes traveled over Sasuke and Naruto…and then just stayed on Naruto. She cupped her hand around her mouth, whispering into Chosun's ear.

_Um…okay._

Chosun suddenly laughed and shook his head. "Matsuri, you don't need to be so cautious. He isn't like Gaara. _Believe_ me."

 _Oooooooh._ Naruto nodded, understanding. _Her_ name _is Matsuri._ "I'm Naruto Uzumaki," he said out loud. Then, just to be polite, he nudged the silent boy beside him. "This is Sasuke Uchiha."

But Matsuri didn't seem to be interested in what Naruto had to say. She was glaring at Chosun. "You're saying it like being like Gaara-sama is a bad thing. It isn't! Gaara-sama is really strong and good and he—"

Chosun groaned. He seemed to be used to this. "Matsuri, can we discuss your admiration of Gaara later? I want to show the boys the greenhouse before I have to go back to the administration building."

She sighed. "Fine. I'll wait out here for you."

Naruto grinned at Sasuke, but the other teen was staring at the sky. _Geez, somebody looks bored._

What he didn't know was that Sasuke was rehashing Chosun's earlier comment to Matsuri. _So Chosun doesn't know about Naruto's demon._ He frowned. _But he_ does _know about Gaara's demonic traits…probably along with the rest of Suna._

And yet it still didn't add up. If everyone knew about Gaara then why was only Chosun visibly afraid of him?

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto snapped his fingers in front of the brunet's face. "Oi bastard, quit daydreaming! Chosun's already gone inside."

"So why are you still out here with me?"

"Uh…I dunno."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

_Idiot._

* * *

" _Is…is Naruto my brother?"_

Riaru drifted into her bedroom, side-stepping her chair and dresser. Her wings dragged behind her, now dry from her descent back to Konoha. She stripped off her white jacket and tossed it over the chair.

_"He's not. But if you say he is…he is."_

_What did Iruka-otousan mean?_ She made her way over to her bed, flinging herself face forward into the mattress. The dark blue blanket rose up and fell. _Calling Naruto my brother doesn't make him really my brother. And now that…now that I know he's not really human…_

Her fingers gathered parts of the blanket as she stared straight ahead at the wall. She'd asked Iruka for permission to paint it a buttery golden-brown. Now the warmth from the color seemed to increase her headache. She switched her line of sight toward the opposite wall with the window instead. A scroll hung beside it, bearing a rough landscape painting of the sanctuary garden. The bold strokes of green and blue were much more soothing to look at.

_They talked about a seal too. Naruto has a seal on him that will keep the demon out? But why? Why would they want to lock away his ophan powers?_

Riaru sat up in frustration, green locks wrapping around to outline her face. "Ophanin are goody-goodies," she said aloud. "That's what Naruto said. So if we're so good and kind, why lock us away? Unless…" She flopped down again, this time on her back. "It's because the humans are afraid of us and won't admit to it."

But then…Hatori-san and the council had mentioned someone named Jin. This Jin was going to kill her and Naruto, and Minato stopped him. Maybe it was Jin who was afraid of the ophan powers…whoever he was.

It still didn't explain "her" anyway. She didn't know why Minato Namikaze saved her. She wasn't his daughter.

_I'm not even related to an actual high-born._

"Maybe my parents put him up to the job."

Riaru knew she should feel grateful her parents had not abandoned her. She should feel grateful to Naruto's father for saving her from this "Jin" person. But…why?

_What's so special about me?_

And why Iruka? Why did Minato choose Iruka to raise his son and an ophan? Shouldn't he have chosen someone in the sanctuary? Hatori-san might not have minded. Then maybe growing up as outcasts would not have happened.

Heaving a sigh, Riaru got up and walked toward her dresser. Tsunade's request was still sitting there. She would have to wait until Naruto came home from Suna. Once he came back, she could tell him what she found out. Tsunade-sama would have to come clean about the rest.

_Then maybe all of this can finally make some sense._

* * *

The greenhouse was warm but not unpleasant. Row after row of herbs and plants were lined against the walls or hanging in small buckets from the ceiling. In the center of room sat a large wooden table and a metal cabinet filled with smelly ointment and medicine. Flowers bloomed from the corners, seemingly bending toward the sunlight. The few sages that were there barely looked up from their work.

Chosun gestured to the plants. "Temari already told you that most of these plants are converted into medicine by the sages so nothing in here is just for decoration. Even the flowers have their use." He tilted his head at another cabinet situated near the back of the room. "That contains the files and recipes for the different ointments, medicine, and potions created in this greenhouse. We don't have as much as Konoha though because we don't have a specialized healing group here."

Naruto pointed at a tall shrub with tiny sticky-looking leaves. White flowers blossomed from it, emitting sweet perfume. "What kind of a plant is that?"

"That's a cliffrose," said one of the sages, still not looking up from his work. "The leaves are mostly used for brewing tea but the twigs are especially useful for healing sores on the body."

Naruto nodded. _That's cool._ He pointed to another plant with egg-shaped leaves and white tuffs on the bottom. "What about that one?"

"You better not touch it unless you have gloves," warned the sage. "That's dogbane. It usually grows in moist places but we've been breading our own here. Touching the sap will cause your skin to blister and eating it will slow your pulse. Every single part of that plant is poisonous, even the flower."

 _Wow._ Naruto stared at the plant. It looked so innocent. "Do you use it as a weapon?"

"We're thinking about it."

While Naruto asked more questions about the plants and the greenhouse, Sasuke parked himself near the door. He looked up at the sky through the greenhouse ceiling, barely making out the curling pinkish clouds against the hazy waves of heat. _I wonder what time it is._

The doors to the greenhouse opened and he felt a familiar mix of rosemary and lavender waft into the room alongside a more dense combination of arid wind and musk. "I thought you guys would be in here," said Cassandra. "I used to come in here a lot when I couldn't handle the weather."

Beside her, Gaara was silent but Sasuke noticed that he was staring at Naruto with a mixture of interest and superiority. He narrowed his eyes.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked. "Chosun's been a good babysitter…I mean, guide."

"The sun is going to set," said Gaara tonelessly. "We thought it would be best for you to eat some dinner before you start training a bit. Is that fine?"

Naruto perked up. "Do you have ramen here?" Gaara looked confused. "Y'know, ramen."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "We're not in Konoha Uzumaki. Shouldn't you try something a little more…substantial?"

He made a face. "I like ramen."

"What she means is that you're not going to survive very long in this place eating that crap," said Sasuke. "You'll just get flabbier."

Before Naruto could open his mouth to yell at the other boy, Chosun cut him off. "Oh it doesn't really matter what you eat here. Exposure to the outdoors will help shrug off those extra calories. There's a ramen place not too far from here. It's not as good as Ichiraku's, but it should do for the time being. Shall we go?"

Gaara gave a small nod. Ramen was a strangely simple meal to eat with guests, but…who was he to argue?

"WOO HOO! RAMEN!" Naruto was about ready to dash out the door when Cassandra yanked on his shoulder, jerking him backward. He blinked. "What now?"

She only dug her fingers into his shoulder, keeping him where he was until the others had left the greenhouse, including the sages. He could have easily thrown her off but something in her grip told him to stay.

"What's up?"

Cassandra released him and reached into the folds of her cloak. She withdrew an old book. "I need to show you something." She proceeded to flip through several pages, handling them gingerly.

"Can't it wait until after dinner?" Naruto glanced anxiously at the door. His stomach growled. _I want ramen now!_

"You and Sasuke have training after dinner. There'll be no time for me to yank you aside and keep Sasuke occupied somehow."

Naruto shrugged. "You're a sage right? You can probably think of something."

"It's _important_ Uzumaki."

He shrugged. "So's my appetite. If I don't eat, I get cranky." He attempted to grin but it slipped away at the sight of a muscle pulsing above the girl's brow. "Sheesh, all right. Just make it quick." He glanced down at the page she shoved under his nose. "…it's a fox."

"It's a kitsune," she said, ignoring him. "A type of fox spirit; not a normal fox. Notice the nine tails?" She traced along one. "You won't find another kind of fox like this in the world unless another yokai becomes one." She pointed at a picture of a beautiful woman on the next page. "Like Kushina here."

"Another…" Naruto frowned. _Oh I know what this is about._ "You think I'm a demon don't you?"

He expected her to flinch or deny his accusation. It was only fair considering she hadn't discussed her thoughts with him prior to this. So he was really shocked when she said, "You overheard my conversation with Gaara in the hall."

 _What the—?_ "You knew I was spying?" Did she use magic to check for eavesdroppers? _Awww, that takes all of the fun out of it!_

Cassandra laughed. The glass reflecting the sun onto the greenhouse sent slanting rays across her visible teeth. "You really aren't a good spy Naruto. It was obvious that you and Sasuke wanted to listen in on me, especially since I made a big deal about not going in with you guys to see Kankuro." She shrugged. "And you were being too loud."

Naruto grimaced, only just remembering Sasuke's comment about that.

_"Now just stay quiet."_

_"_ You're _not one tell me that you loud-mouthed knucklehead."_

"So? You don't have concrete proof that I'm a demon—"

"I didn't say that," said Cassandra, cutting him off. "Gaara did. He believes you're not a demon-human hybrid like he is." There was no point in her hiding that little fact away. Naruto already knew about Gaara's condition. "He believes you're a hybrid of a yokai and an ophan."

Naruto's blue eyes dilated. _That…that is insane! It makes no sense! The yokai and ophanin_ hate _each other! They don't even like each other enough to consider angry sex, let alone having kids!_

"That makes no sense."

"I thought so too." Cassandra shook the page with the yokai woman on it. "But Gaara would know better than I do so I checked out this book from the library about yokai and their features. Kushina here is the only yokai that completely matches up to your physical features."

Naruto glanced at the beautiful red-haired woman in the book. The sinking sun over the greenhouse bathed the page in an orange glow. "She looks nothing like me."

"Well yeah. She's hot and you're not. But she—"

"HEY!"

"FOCUS Uzumaki!"

He grumbled and followed the path Cassandra's fingers were making on the woman's profile. She traced along the scars along the delicate face before drawing up to the blue eyes. Then she reached out and pressed her index finger against his own scars. He flushed.

"You have her scars _and_ her eyes. Shape and everything." Cassandra fixed him with a dead-pan gaze. "I'm not sure if you're what Gaara says you are, but I am now sure you're at least yokai. My bloodline trait if anything confirms that."

"How?"

Naruto was very wary of the bloodline traits of the clans of Konoha. He barely encountered any of them, save for Sasuke's Sharingan (having been on the receiving end of it several times). So if any of them were directed at him, he _really_ wanted to know what they could do.

_Like what if it turns my insides out?_

Cassandra touched his cheek, her palm still smooth but devoid of the usual softness he associated with girls. She rubbed at his scars and he felt that strange warmth gliding through his skin. Something invisible trailed around her body in wisps, wrapping around her hand and brushing against his face. Naruto blinked and looked up at her eyes. They had darkened.

"Um…what are you doing?"

_Is her family trait the kind that can turn a body inside out?_

She pulled her hand away. The warmth vanished but the invisible wind continued to trail around his face as if echoing its presence. "My clan was known to have the ability of aura detection and manipulation. What you feel around your face is the amount of aura that currently surrounds that portion of your body. Think of it as a sort of energy scale that changes depending on your emotions and health."

She waved her hand and the invisible wind disappeared. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief; it had been giving him the creeps.

"Aura is normally invisible to the naked eye; it just pours from the gates in the body. But with proper training, aura can be seen by the person harnessing it, and it is exercised to build up magical power and release enchantment. But only by the person harnessing it."

"I know all of that. So how is your clan's gift any different?"

"One of my clan's abilities allows me to see aura around _another_ _person_. Even a powerful druid can only train themselves to see one shade while sensing the power level. I can actually see both, even separating individual layers of your aura. The more erratic your aura looks, the less stable your power is." Cassandra shrugged as if bored with explaining. "I admit…it's a pretty useless ability next to the others that are out there. But…"

"What?"

She grinned. "I can tell from a person's aura if they're a human or a demon. The colors and the shape will be different. And…I can detect you from great distances, even if you're dead. So that's how I know you have demon blood. You give off a demonic aura, a really _powerful_ demonic aura that looks too wild to be ophan material. Though it looks…restricted." The grin slipped into a frown. "I can't tell anything beyond that though. I haven't really delved into the powers of my clan." She inclined her head at his face. "Take what you want from what I said."

Naruto stared at her before reaching up to rub at his whiskered cheeks. He could feel the tingles from where her clan's ability had touched him. Should he believe everything she just told him? Cassandra had no reason to lie. She would gain nothing.

_And she probably knows that._

But why was she telling him this? Why was she willing to go through such lengths to prove to him her theories? She wasn't his friend. She was Sasuke's…to a degree.

_Unless she's just trying to distract me._

"Why are you telling me this?"

Cassandra tilted her head to one side. "I figured you ought to know," she replied coolly. "Since you always looked confused when most of Konoha treated you like shit. There's nothing wrong with that ne?" She brushed past him on her way out the door of the greenhouse. "Oh and…"

Naruto nodded expectantly. "And?"

 _What's_ your _motive?_

As if she could read his mind, she answered, "Curiosity."

* * *

Jin stood in the center of the compound. His eyes traced over the circular basin on the ground before moving up to the purple and black sky. A small fire was crackling merrily in the center of the basin. Dusk and light painted shadows along his finely carved features, adding a hint of ghoulishness to his beauty. _He should be here by now._

There was a flash of darkness, a dark that seemed to sap away the blackness of the sky and cause everything else to appear bright. Then it vanished, leaving Orochimaru standing in its wake.

Jin glared at him. "I think we could have proceeded without your theatrics Aniki," he grumbled.

"Now Jin where's your sense of fun?" Orochimaru smiled, revealing a row of sharp teeth.

"Fun can come later. This is time for seriousness." Jin motioned Orochimaru to stand off to the side. He then stretched his body to its full height, his vast wings creating shadows reminiscent of his animal host. The yellow eyes reflected the starlight. "My brethren! My sistren! Come to me!"

There was a flurry of movement from the abodes surrounding the enormous square. The air smelled strangely of sulfur and frost. Swirls and shadows erupted from the ground as an array of odd animals materialized around the circle.

Jin raised his arms and the creatures transformed themselves into their human-like forms with small animal features and rich-colored feathered wings. The darkness melded with their bare bodies, forming into temporary robes or tunics to cover them. He smiled as pleasantly as his normally contemptuous features would allow. "Are we missing anyone?"

A younger yokai with hair a bright shade of pink-red rolled her eyes. "Besides the kids, Kazuki isn't here. Last time I checked, he was trying to transform into an animal again." She laughed, the sound strangely shrill. "You'd think after so many fucking tries, the dumb shit would finally just give up."

Orochimaru and a few others snickered. Jin sent them a glare. It was bad enough that he knew his son had yet to achieve his transformation. He didn't need anyone else's ridicule to add to his disappointment.

"Well I guess it doesn't matter if he's here or not." Jin glanced furtively in the direction of the mountains. "This information won't be vital to him—yet."

"Are you sure?" another yokai asked. Starlight seemed ironed onto his silver hair and the fire from the basin lit up his pale childlike face. "Knowing something that eventually will be useful might encourage him to work harder to achieve his animal state."

"Not everybody works the way you do Kimimaro," said Orochimaru casually. The silver-haired youth flushed red. "So out with it otouto. Tell everyone your reason for calling them out here."

Jin sighed. "You are all here because I have some interesting news about the seal on Naruto Uzumaki."

A few of the younger yokai looked confused. "…who?"

"The previous ophanin leader's only son." Jin gritted his teeth. "Kushina's son." He ignored the whispers that broke out over her name.

"How old is he now?" asked a strange yokai named Kidomaru. He slumped lazily against the ground, using four of his six wiry arms to hold his amber wings back as a headrest. The other two arms crossed over his chest. Overuse of his abilities had caused his skin to develop a bronze appearance. "Still a little boy?"

Kimimaro shook his head and wrapped his body in his own wings. Their deep green matched his eyes, shimmering like the surface of a scorpion's armor. "He hasn't been a child for years. What rock are you living under?"

"The one near the front of the compound," replied the other man sarcastically. "What about you?"

"Shut up you dumbass. This isn't what we came to talk about." A lanky yokai with silver-blue hair falling in his face thwacked Kidomaru on the back with one white arm. He wobbled. "You can continue Joushi."

"Thank you Sakon. Now Naruto Uzumaki's seal has been weakening throughout the years. It's not even close to cracking, but there are rudimentary slivers beginning to show. The stronger he becomes, the weaker that seal will be…unless the humans manage to find a way to fix it."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "Can they?"

Jin shook his head, the purple glints in his hair catching the orange glow of the fire. He had anticipated this idea for some time now. "I doubt it. That seal was not created for human use. Only a demon would be able to figure out what to do with it. I'm not sure if the ophanin have any ideas, but it doesn't matter. I just want you all to be ready when the seal does break. It's been a long time since any of us attacked an ophan hasn't it?"

"I don't even think they'll be worthy opponents anymore," complained a large gray yokai called Jirobo. He shook his head. "This world has gotten so soft, it's sickening!"

There was a murmur of assent from the group. It gradually grew louder and louder.

"All they care about are those humans! As if they haven't noticed that the humans are arrogant little fools who don't want help."

"Even if they _are_ weak, the humans are more of an opponent then the ophanin! You've seen them with their classes and training haven't you?"

"They've been paranoid ever since the day we struck that deal with the ophanin. I suppose they figured they wanted their own armies against both of us."

"But they're more troublesome. At least the ophanin are smart enough now to keep their noses away from business that doesn't concern them."

"THE OPHANIN AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WHO'VE GOTTEN SOFT! LOOK AT US!"

Immediately, the noise in the compound square hushed. All eyes turned to an older yokai with black markings around his eyes and over his cheeks.

Orochimaru flexed his pale fingers lazily. He smiled. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. This place has become a joke for the last seventeen years! We've done nothing but fight each other for sport or mate to sate an occasional urge. Even the few humans we associate with in Oto follow us willingly like possessed oni. There's no passion, only routine. We've become a giant gray mass of boredom…and for _WHAT_? Because we're nobly keeping to a stupid bargain made years ago? Or maybe because our _'illustrious'_ leader—" He bowed mockingly to Jin. "—is afraid of this Naruto."

"That's ridiculous!" snapped a blonde female demon named Yugito. Her brown eyes were sinking into cat slits. "Yokai fear nothing! We even mock death when it takes us down!"

"ALL TALK!" the other demon scoffed. "If I remember the stories, Kushina didn't have that sort of fire at _her_ deathbed. And we're following her example! How many of us have displayed that fearlessness now? If we are creatures of power and control, why wait for the boy to unleash his powers? Cowards! Especially…" here he paused as an angry exclamation rose from the crowd. The flames in the basin crackled and leaped a bit higher as if to copy their vehemence.

Jin didn't move a muscle of his face. However, his golden eyes glittered dangerously. He waved a hand at the crowd of squabbling yokai. "Wait. I want to hear what he has to say." No one seemed to notice his fingernails slowly lengthening and changing into sharp claws. The ghoulish beauty of his face began to look waxy and distorted.

The others quieted down, but their expressions were livid. Kidomaru had even jumped up from his relaxed place on the ground. His six arms were held tightly by his sides by Sakon.

"Are you afraid Jin?" A sneer spread across the man's face, twisting it into something ugly. "Afraid that if you touch him now, the ophanin or humans will retaliate? Or are you afraid he has the power to kill you himself? You and your excuses. Maybe deep down inside you aren't thinking of killing him after all…" He laughed. "Because he's all that's left of your dead _whore_."

Jin's nostrils flared, but Orochimaru pushed him back. He slunk toward the other man, smoothing his fingers down his muscled arms. The pavement seemed to roll beneath his feet like sand. "Now, now, there's no need to be hostile. Whatever happened to controlling our emotions hmm?" His smile had a trace of guile but his voice resembled a tender caress. "We need to save our hatred for the ophanin."

He halted in front of the outspoken yokai, reaching out to trace along the black marks on his cheeks. The man stiffened, all scorn gone.

"Um…Orochimaru-sama…"

"Ssshh…" The smile never left Orochimaru's face as his tongue slowly flopped out of his mouth and curled up as if it had a mind of its own. Everyone watched in horrified fascination as the pink appendage grew longer, lolling around like a python. "You should show my brother more respect. He _is_ your leader after all."

The other yokai stammered, eyeing the tongue nervously. It retreated smoothly back into Orochimaru's mouth. "I…of course, I'll refrain from speaking my mind in the future."

Orochimaru's smile broadened, fangs extended. "Of course you will."

Suddenly, his neck leaned out, growing in length, and wrapped swiftly around the other demon's neck. Pale skin became scaly and suddenly a snake's face loomed over the downed yokai. _CRAAACKK!_ Sharp fangs dug into the man's neck, effectively wringing it and snapping the bone. The body slumped, its owner not even having time to cry out.

Orochimaru sighed and released the yokai, shaking back his dark tresses. His tongue snaked out to lick at the small trails of blood on his fangs and lips.

"Shit…that…was disgusting," muttered Jirobo. The others shifted uneasily save for Kimimaro who was looking at the older demon with satisfaction and awe.

Jin smiled. This was exactly what he needed. Bored yokai were easier to persuade than active. And now that his brother had taken care of an insubordinate fool, it was time to reassure the rest of his brethren. He motioned Orochimaru to return to his side so they would pay attention. The man did, kicking the dead yokai to the side along the way. The body rolled over to stop beside Yugito who shuddered and moved away from it.

"For now the seal is stable, but when it does break I don't want anyone leaving for Konoha. You will wait until I give you permission to go."

The red-haired yokai sputtered. "What the fuck is this? Just now you were standing there telling us that it's been so damn long since we've last attacked anyone but each other. Now you're saying you want us to fucking _wait?_ "

The other yokai broke out into a smattering of growls and grumbles. The scent of sulfur rose and fell as many of them began to display bestial characteristics. Fangs sharpened and lengthened. Torsos contracted and relaxed. Fur and feathers crawled up arms and down legs.

Orochimaru held up a hand to silence them. "I understand your frustration Tayuya, but you'll have to listen my brother. He _is_ the only one who can determine the state of the seal after all. So once the seal breaks, after he has a nice little _chat_ with Tsunade,—" he watched the smile on Jin's face widen to the point the starlight seemed to dance across his teeth. "—we'll be allowed full access."

Now the tension began to die down. The dark flashes of transformation faded out. Jin nodded gratefully at his brother. Orochimaru had always been better at placating large audiences than he. _And he's not even their leader. He refused the position._

"Try to remain patient," he continued. "Once the kitsune's powers take over, Uzumaki will be completely and utterly insane. And if you arrive to attack, you'll be condemning yourselves to suicide. Remember, the boy's seal is also maintained by the safety of that young ophan Riaru."

"Riaru?" Orochimaru's thin lips curled upward. "She's been brought up by the humans. I _am_ surprised she hasn't done away with herself already; she's so…pitiful." His mouth seemed to form the word with relish.

Sakon crimped his visible eyebrow under a wing of silver-blue hair. "If she's holding the seal, why haven't you killed her already?"

For a moment, Jin's eyes seemed more reptilian than human. "I would never consider it," he hissed. "If the boy is going to succumb to his yokai instincts, I would rather it be from stupidity or the neglect of the humans. _I_ don't want Tsunade to assume I'm willing to break the bargain on purpose." He smiled. "It's more _fun_ if it's their fault.

"So I ask you for your control. Keep to that blessed control of emotion you love and prevent the passion of bloodlust from spilling to the surface. Stay…and follow me."

Several heads nodded in unanimous agreement. The fire in the stone basin crackled and climbed higher, rising in a blaze that tried to touch the sky. And somewhere out in the terrain of the yokai compound, Jin's young son saw the orange glow and wondered at its meaning.

* * *

Naruto should have expected it. Sleeping in Suna was _very_ different from sleeping in his own bed in Konoha. For one, he was sharing a room with a guy he claimed to despise. And for another…he stood up and moved toward the small window. Sheets billowed around his legs. Every now and then he winced at the ache in his back. Bruises decorated portions of his skin, breaking across the tan surface in purple and blue spots.

For another, he'd never been worked to near exhaustion by someone not from the warrior class. Cassandra knew she'd be no match for him or Sasuke at physical combat, so she'd devised ways to keep them occupied and _at bay_. This included subjecting them to wade blindly through slush while fireballs and hail (to add to the slush) rained down out of nowhere. The cooling night air immediately flared up to resemble the sweltering heat of the day.

_Glad that nightmare is over with for now._

He still had doubts about Cassandra's theory involving demons. How were she and Gaara so sure he was a hybrid? There was just…he had no powers from either demon side. He had no wings. The scars on his cheeks could have been inflicted by someone who hated him when he was little.

_I wouldn't put it past any of the adults that time._

And even Cassandra had admitted that her clan's powers were not foolproof. So how was he supposed to trust her judgment?

_How am I supposed to trust her at all?_

"What are you still doing up Uzumaki?"

Naruto glanced back at Sasuke's bed. The other warrior lay curled up on his side, his T-shirt clad back facing away from him. The blankets were bunched up somewhere around his middle.

"You're awake?"

"No. You're dreaming about me," Sasuke answered with a derisive snort. He sat up, the bunched up sheets giving him difficulty. Black bangs hung into his eyes. "So why are you parading around in your boxers at _this_ hour?"

Naruto shrugged. "Just thinking. And these are pajama bottoms."

"Well don't hurt yourself bashing into everything. We still have a long day tomorrow."

"Bastard." Naruto stalked around him and flopped back down onto his own bed. "It's your girlfriend's fault. She's got me hyped up on her stupid theories."

Sasuke grimaced. "I told you she's fami—" He paused. Naruto glanced at him. "Never mind. What did she do now?"

"Well before we went to dinner, she told me she thought I was a demon hybrid."

"We overheard that remember?"

"But now she's saying she can tell just by using her clan's bloodline ability or something. She said my aura is weird and a bunch of other crazy shit." He shrugged. "Stuff like that."

Sasuke shook his head. "The Mikomi clan specialized in tracking down demons back in the feud between the yokai and ophanin. The yokai were masters of illusion so it was necessary for Cassandra's family to hone their abilities to seek them out to protect Konoha. But ever since the two races stopped fighting, there hasn't been a need for finding demons. I assume the gene eventually dwindled away, leaving what they have now. Cassandra, her father, and her older siblings are the only ones who probably still carry traces of it."

Naruto stared at him quizzically. "How do you know so much about them? It can't just be because your families were close. That must be ancient history now."

In response, Sasuke turned away to stare out the window. Handfuls of stars were scattered across the sky like glitter. And…he frowned. There was something out there on the rooftops of another building.

"Sasuke."

He mumbled something that sounded like "other."

"Sorry teme, I didn't quite catch that."

"I said, my _brother_ ," Sasuke snapped, irritated. "Cassandra was engaged to my brother. Her father and my father used to discuss the old days a lot and Itachi would listen in on the conversations. They wanted to make sure he knew where the bloodline would be going and what his children would possibly inherit."

Naruto blinked. _Engaged? So…is_ that _why Sasuke isn't attracted to her? But…but…how could they still be engaged? I thought…_

"Your brother's dead," he blurted out before he could stop himself.

_Mistake._

Even in the dim moonlight, the look in Sasuke's ebony eyes was pure hatred. "He's dead to me," he muttered bitterly. "And hopefully that will one day extend to being physically dead." He resumed staring out the window.

 _Wow._ Naruto's irises had widened to twin blue plates. His rival may have _acted_ hostile to him and the rest of Konoha on occasion, but he never showed the emotion so openly. _I must have touched a nerve._

"Um…I'm sorry."

"Gaara."

Naruto frowned. _That didn't sound like reassurance to me._ "I said, I'm sorry."

"I don't care dobe." Sasuke tilted his head toward the window. "Gaara's out there."

"Really?" Naruto stumbled off the bed, tripping over the fallen sheets in the process. Ignoring Sasuke's smirk, he moved over to the window and peeked out. Sure enough, the redhead was out on the rooftops in the night. Starlight and wind seemed to meet at his lonely figure. "Huh. Maybe he _is_ an insomniac."

He watched as Gaara tilted his head up to gaze at the half moon. Its light settled onto him, bathing him in a strangely vibrant glow. Tiny shimmery particles of…was it dust? No…Naruto did a double take. _Sand_ was floating around Gaara's body.

_What the hell?_

"Sasuke!"

"What?" the Uchiha grumbled. By now, he'd lost interest in the Shuryo's brother and was about to settle down to sleep again. "Just ignore him Naruto. Go to sleep."

"But he's got sand floating around him!" Naruto whirled around to meet his rival's unconcerned eyes. "Now tell me that's not normal."

Sasuke suppressed a yawn. "Fine. That's not normal. Now get back to bed idiot." He lay down on his side again, ignoring Naruto's protests.

Seeing that the other boy wasn't going to listen to him, Naruto sighed and obeyed. But not before stealing one last look at the odd spectacle Gaara made.

And he almost collided with Sasuke's bed in shock.

For just a minute there…he could have sworn Gaara was looking straight at him.

* * *

**One week later…**

Iruka was worried. It had been about a week since Naruto left for the city of Suna. _I hope he isn't driving the others crazy._

While he had agreed with Kakashi on the idea, there were times where he regretted his decision. Naruto had never been outside the Konoha walls before except for the occasional training bouts in the surrounding forest. He had also never been away from Iruka and Riaru for so long. And he most _certainly_ had never traveled in the reluctant company of Sasuke Uchiha.

_He'll be all right. He's almost eighteen. Better to let him see the world now so he doesn't think he's being sheltered._

Of course the simple fact that Naruto was on the brink of adulthood reminded Iruka of a certain tidbit of information he was currently sheltering the boy from. He didn't like keeping secrets, but the ophanin had insisted he wait. Now the time was almost here…and so soon after the exams.

_How will Naruto be able to handle it?_

The Paragon Master was so preoccupied reassuring himself, he barely noticed two men approaching him from the other side of the street. That is, until they spoke.

"What are you doing here Iruka?"

Iruka glanced up at two of the proctors for the Academy Exams: Ibiki Morino and Genma Shiranui. Both were going to be in charge of overseeing the future slayers and hunters. "Oh…uh…just loafing around."

Genma cocked a lazy eyebrow, wiggling the needle stalk in his mouth back and forth. "You're on break from classes already? I thought with the exams coming up, you wouldn't cut the students any slack."

"I'm not a workaholic like the others," Iruka explained. "I think the students deserve some rest in between the lessons. Otherwise, they might not be able to absorb anything."

Ibiki chuckled; his body casting a giant shadow over the ground and onto Iruka's seated form. "And that'd be a damn shame considering your expertise relies a lot on absorption."

The younger man smiled. "We don't rely on absorbing the damage taken by other humans. It's a bit more complicated than that." He didn't mind that Ibiki had the wrong idea about healing. _After all, he's not a healer._ "What are you two doing here?"

"We were going to meet up with the other proctors to discuss the exam," said Genma. He grinned. "You'll have to warn Uzumaki about Kakashi's part. He's being pretty tough this year. I heard he was going to drag everyone into the mountains or something."

"Maybe." Idly, Iruka remembered Kakashi's suggestion about Suna's rough terrain being good for practice. He didn't doubt it. "Naruto will do fine. He's been working very hard for this."

_Hopefully he isn't slacking in Suna._

"Well normally we're not allowed to encourage the students, being proctors and all," said Ibiki conspiritably. "But I'll place a bet down that Uzumaki will pass." He chuckled at the incredulous look on Iruka's face. "What?"

Iruka coughed. "I…um…I'm just surprised you have so much faith in him."

Ibiki shrugged. "It's not a big deal really." He pointedly glanced up and down the city street. Some of the other civilians, who'd been eavesdropping, resumed walking immediately. "Not everybody in this town is heartless. Right Genma?"

"Sure," Genma replied. He shoved his hands into his pockets, eyes on the ground. "So we've heard about Kakashi's part of the test. What are _you_ planning on handing out to your students?"

The brunette smiled brightly. "That's a secret. For all I know, my students could be listening in on this conversation right now." He, not so discreetly, tilted his head in the direction of the Barbeque only a few feet away. He could see Ino wrinkling her nose at her friend Chouji wolfing down food inside. "So I'm not going to tell anyone anything."

"Hmph. Thinking on the edge." Ibiki bobbed his scarred head in approval. "I like it. You've gained some spunk Iruka."

"It comes with being a parent." Iruka grinned playfully. "Maybe you'll learn about that someday."

Genma shook his head. "Noooooo way. I'm very happy as a single childless man," he said. "And as for Ibiki here, I'm not sure who would fall for him…no offense."

Ibiki snorted. So his notorious interrogations and disgusting scars scared off more than just enemies. It was just part of his job. So sue him.

"Iruka-sensei!" Sakura was calling from across the street. "Shouldn't we be heading back to class?"

 _Seems like that time._ Iruka stood up. "Break's up. I have to get back to work."

Genma and Ibiki inclined their heads. "Be seeing you."

If Sakura had noticed the two proctors with him she made no comment about them on the way back to the classroom. Maybe she felt it was none of her business or the proctors weren't going to be judging her exam anyway. Shizune, the Shaman Master, usually oversaw future paragons and monks.

Iruka smiled to himself. He was confident in his students' abilities. It wasn't easy, but nearly every cleric under his tutelage over the years had successfully passed under Shizune's watchful eye. Sakura would be no exception.

And yet Iruka was slightly curious as to why she even chose to become a paragon rather than the other classes. She was intelligent and her control over aura was perfect. So why hadn't she tried her hand at other areas that may have benefited from her skill?

"May I ask you something Sakura?"

Her green eyes shifted up to his. They had reached the classroom doors. "Sure."

"Why did you decide to become a paragon? You could have chosen to become a monk or even a sage."

Sakura shrugged; her hand on the edge of the wooden door. "I don't care about power Iruka-sensei. I mean, I know it's important but it's not that big of a deal. I'll be able to help people who have the offense but lack the power to save themselves. And I can heal myself to stay in the game. So I'm still useful."

She wanted to be useful. Iruka mulled the thought over in his head. It was a refreshing change from the usual "I want to be strong" mantra.

"Besides," Sakura continued with a grin. "They'll owe me."

Iruka laughed. "True. But just so you know, you don't have to sell yourself short. After all, Sasuke is training in mage skills in addition to becoming a slayer." He noticed her cheeks had pinked at the mention of brooding boy. "You can try something different."

The cleric furrowed her brow, sucking on her bottom lip. She pulled the door to the side and peered in. All of the other students were there, including Ino who was helping a little girl with a pulled tendon. Both Sakura and Iruka watched as her hands made a tight bracelet of gauze around the girl's upper arm and wrist. A sphere of golden aura bobbed up and down beside her instead of the usual green aura used for her hands.

_"Hikariton: Cure."_

"I'll think about it Iruka-sensei," said Sakura after a few minutes of watching Ino work. "If I can turn _that_ —" she pointed at the aura "—into something new. Are there any healers out there who can teach that?"

He smiled enigmatically. "Only the ophanin."

* * *

Okay, so maybe Naruto was a little paranoid.

Days had passed since Cassandra had revealed his origin, but the sage had refused to comment about it since. Instead, Chosun and Temari had taken over the training process while she spent most of her time holed up in the library. Kankuro would sometimes take breaks from his job as Shuryo to sneak out and watch them practice. Some evenings Cassandra would resume training, but she brushed aside explanations about her periodic absences.

Gaara rarely made public appearances save for dinnertime and random outings. He would always divert attention from himself and whatever he was up to. And it was always him or the Cassandra seen on the streets, never both.

Naruto didn't mind Gaara's absences. The other boy was giving off a creepy vibe lately, and had taken to staring at him much like that night three days ago.

_Was he staring at me? Or was it just the stars blurring everything?_

Maybe he should ask. But…Naruto shuddered. The vibe Gaara gave off ranged from restless to murderous. Any question could be a sign of provocation.

_Maybe not._

Much to his relief, he had managed to somewhat adapt to the weather in Suna. The sun no longer felt like a blistering eyesore and the sand wasn't as unpleasant. Humidity had finally died down so the dry winds that blew frequently around and over the city were a pleasant exchange. The lack of an abundant source of water still took some getting used to, but that was what training was for after all.

The people of Suna were somewhat different from the people of Konoha. Many of the slayers prized the same thing: strength and skill. However, they were more fierce and less forgiving than the slayers in Konoha. Naruto had seen a demonstration when the slayers brought back a long-suspected murderer and he was executed in the main room of the administrative building without a single thought. No trial. No jail time. Just cold, quick judgement.

_I still get the shivers thinking about it._

Unlike back in Konoha, there were no noble clans or elders to decide the status of the place. Instead, the city was controlled by administrators and advisors selected by the Shuryo and the country's daimyo. The average citizens were also tougher. They were able to stand the harsh winds and terrain with no complaints. And yet Naruto found he still had to get used to people not glaring at him or calling him an "outcast." The people were more curious around him, eager to hear stories about Konoha, the forests, and the small lakes and streams around River Country. It was an unsettling, but not unwelcome change.

Training…now _that_ was a success. Temari proved to be a capable, if slightly sadistic, instructor. There were several times Naruto had to avoid strikes that would land him in the infirmary. And he'd learned how to use the terrain to his advantage. Sand dunes acted as larger substitutes for trees. Rocks and handfuls of sand were used as distractions or makeshift weapons when his pouch grew low or his sword was knocked away.

_"If you find anything…anything at all that could help turn the tide in a battle then use it. In this place, we're taught to trust only ourselves and our abilities. Relying on someone else could easily get you killed so you'll have to survive by yourself."_

Whenever Kankuro showed up to visit, he would bring Karasu the puppet along. It didn't take long for Naruto to find out it was as much a weapon as it was decoration. While Karasu's face and body were disturbing enough, Kankuro took great pleasure in showing them his poison-tipped darts and blades though he didn't say how they worked.

_"Puppetry is a lethal art form. You have to rely on tricks and deception in order to disarm your opponents. Puppets can take on any form you wish: defense, offense, even an extension of your body. But without skill, you have no chance of controlling any part of the puppet; just like without skill, you have no chance of controlling yourself."_

When Naruto asked him where he learned the poison techniques, Kankuro dropped the name "Sasori" but otherwise refused to elaborate.

Chosun dutifully offered up some tricks he'd learned to get through the Exams. One memorable day, he taught Naruto and Sasuke how to build a fire in the rain when there was no shelter around, using _sui_ techniques as a substitute for rain. The technique was not successful mainly because the scarred jerk grew bored with being a human sprinkler and sometimes switched to other elements for amusement.

_"When I took the Exams, I had to spend three nights alone in the forest with nothing but my clothes, a knife, and a tiny bottle of stamina potion. It may sound like some 'survival of the fittest' thing, but it taught me how to use the area for food and shelter. At the same time, I had to conserve energy so the potion would only be used in emergency situations. Same for magic."_

Naruto figured that magic conservation wouldn't be much of a problem for him since he had trouble using magic anyway. Ero-Sennin had never elaborated on why he did; he just patiently guided Naruto through useful spells no matter how long they took to master. Even the Kage Bunshin he used still took time.

But now…with Cassandra's predictions…could it be the reason he took so long mastering magic was because of his demonic background? She had said his aura was restricted.

_Is it because I can't control it?_

_"Fuiton: Dust Wind!"_

He watched Sasuke fall back on his ass from a gust of wind by Temari's weapon of choice: a giant iron fan with three purple circles. Sasuke leaped to his feet, his eyes trained on the subtle flicks of her wrist. One hand reached unconsciously for a set of filed needles attached to his belt pouch while the other performed the "chest to throat" ritual used for his fireball. Temari wasted no time in kicking up sand to form a temporary shield around her body.

Unlike him, Sasuke wasn't paranoid. He'd accepted Cassandra's absences as if they were standard operating procedure. Chosun and Temari were more than able to suffice as good opponents/teachers. If anything, they were probably better since Cassandra was physically much weaker than them and could not be counted on to throw kicks and punches. He also ignored Gaara's occasional stares. Nothing seemed to matter but the Slayer Exams.

But it made sense. Sasuke didn't _have_ a reason to be paranoid.

"Hey Naruto! Watch out!"

_FWIP! WHACK!_

Naruto was torn from his musings as another gust of wind literally picked him up and slammed his body into one of the craggy rocks raised up as an obstacle. He collapsed to the earth, dazed.

In front of him, Temari winced. "Ooohhh sorry. I wasn't aiming for you this time."

 _This time?_ Naruto groaned. _What the hell? Couldn't she tell I was thinking?_ He heaved his body up, wobbling on both legs. Pebbles and sand clung to the light, loose pants Temari suggested he wear for training. He brushed at them. "You could've warned me _before_ you were going to attack."

"You better learn to move as fast as you hear then," answered the blonde slayer. She folded up her fan and leaned against it. Her dark violet dress meshed together with the evening sky. "Otherwise you might not be able to get yourself out of trouble."

Sasuke turned toward Naruto. The black irises were glinting with mirth. "Or maybe this is a sign you shouldn't think at all during combat. Too dangerous."

"Teme…" Naruto growled but an eerie sight made him stop his usual rant. Gaara was wandering around the opposite end of the training site. The expression on his face was very different from its usual impassiveness. "Um…uh…"

"What's wrong Naruto?" Chosun asked.

"Uh…nothing. Can we get something to eat now?" Naruto tore his eyes away from the agitated redhead. "It's getting late."

Curious, Chosun followed his earlier line of sight. When he noticed Gaara, he stiffened. "Um…I think that sounds like a good idea. What about you Temari?"

Temari had also noticed her brother skulking around. His eyeing of the newcomers was proving to be far above normal interest. Could it possibly be…close to the full moon again?

Her eyes rolled upward toward the pink-and-purple evening sky where the silvery-white moon glistened innocently.

 _Shit._ "Yeah, I think Uchiha has already done enough training today. I don't want to report to the medics about him collapsing from exhaustion."

Sasuke bristled. "I'm not weak Sabaku," he scoffed.

"I never said you were. I just don't want to be held responsible for you."

"You're not responsible for me." Sasuke turned away to pick up some of his weaponry Temari had blown away. "I don't need a babysitter."

Temari smirked. "You're whining like you do."

Sasuke could have caused the weather to heat up again with the glare he was sending her. Naruto grinned gleefully. There was nothing like somebody winding up Sasuke for a change.

Now if only he could stop worrying about Gaara's unstable vibes.

* * *

_**"Let me…"** _

_Stay away …_

_**"Let me…turn me loose."** _

_No! You have to stay away!_

_**"I won't…I won't** _ **kill** _**anyone. I'll just…play around a bit."** _

_You're a liar._

_"_ _**And so are you. You just…you just can't resist it either. The power…it smells so good!"** _

_SHUT UP!_

_**"The power…awwww come on now. Just let me out. Let me out! I just want a taste!"** _

_Don't tell me what to do!_

* * *

Dinner was a delicious but somewhat tense affair. They'd stopped at a small restaurant that served pork ribs, rice, and gizzard, the latter of which Naruto refused to eat. Temari kept sending Gaara worried glances across the table. Chosun quickly wolfed down his food and darted off to his house. Even Kankuro seemed a little more uneasy; he kept glancing outside at the navy sky.

Only Sasuke seemed to be blissfully unaware of what was going on…or he didn't care. Naruto was pretty sure it was the latter.

Still even Sasuke had to be just a little unnerved when Gaara suddenly appeared on the training grounds after dinner, more agitated than before.

"Naruto?" Temari cuffed his shoulder. "Kankuro and I have some business we have to take care of. You know the way back to the inn."

He nodded, blue gaze still on her restless brother. "But uh…isn't a little early to go back? I wanted to spend some time in the city."

Temari's dark green eyes flashed dangerously. "Not tonight. You and Sasuke have to go back to the inn. No midnight training with Cassandra. No wandering outside at all. If I see her, I'll pass on the news. Understood?"

Naruto blinked in bewilderment as the other blond walked away. _What the hell is she hiding?_ He turned his eyes back to Gaara prowling around the training grounds. _Is something wrong with Gaara's demon?_

"What'd Temari say?" asked Sasuke.

The blond shook his head and started walking. Damn if he wasn't curious enough to find out what was going on. He hated being left in the dark especially if it was _his_ life on the line. But he knew he ought to listen to the blonde slayer. They were outsiders to the city, so not being in the know was expected. Besides, no one else was on the streets. Even the restaurant they'd eaten at had locked up.

_The inn's right past the training grounds. We'll have to sneak near Gaara._

"She said we have to go back to our room. Something's wrong with—"

_**"You…"** _

Naruto paused. Somehow, Gaara had managed to appear behind them without giving himself away. "Um…hi Gaara." He smiled weakly at the intensity shimmering in the redhead's pale green eyes. Thin veins seemed to pulse near the fragile skin around his eyes. The stopper on his giant gourd popped off and tan-white sand poured out of it onto the ground. _That's not disturbing at all._ "What's up?"

Gaara ignored him. Instead, he slunk over to Sasuke, favoring the other boy with a look of interest. Black met green cautiously.

Uneasiness flecked Naruto's blue eyes. _Somehow, I don't think Temari's going to be happy about this._ "Gaara? Shouldn't you be inside?"

"I want to fight you."

Sasuke raised one fine eyebrow. _This_ was somewhat unexpected. After the few times of watching them train, the Shuryo's mysterious brother wanted to get in on the action.

"What?"

The sand circled Gaara's body, gliding down his arms and along his fingers. In the moonlight, they looked milky. "I want to fight you," he repeated. "You could probably use a new opponent right?" There was a tiny hint of challenge in the monotone.

Naruto glanced at his rival who seemed to be wavering. He remembered what Cassandra had said about Gaara being unstable.

"No."

Gaara shifted his intense stare on Naruto, who blanched. "Um…I mean…I don't think that's a good idea." Naruto could _feel_ himself quailing underneath the emotionless sea of green. "Uh Sasuke and I have already trained enough, and we're tired. So um…yeah." He attempted to send his rival meaningful glances. "We better not—"

"How do you want to do this?"

Naruto groaned. He didn't want to get in trouble just because the dark-haired boy chose the wrong time to be stupid. "Weren't you listening teme? We're supposed to be back at the inn."

Sasuke shrugged and turned away from him. "We may be guests in this city, but the Shuryo and his sister aren't our keepers. If we're going to pass the exams, we have to be able to do things by _ourselves._ "

"But…"

More sand rose up in wide arcs around Gaara. A creepy smile spread across his face as if he was pleased with the other teen's response. "Yes Uchiha." His voice sounded like it was filled with gravel. "Though I think we should move this somewhere else. Uzumaki obviously doesn't want to join in." The red veins in his sclera nearly bulged with excitement. "He's probably too scared to face me."

Naruto watched this strange turn of events with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. _I don't think it's safe around here._ Even Sasuke looked like he was beginning to regret his agreement to the hybrid's fight.

"Gaara maybe we should—"

Suddenly the sand rose higher up and around their bodies, forming a giant ball-like structure. Moon beams cascaded down along its sides.

"NO!"

Naruto yelped as he leaped out of the dome. Almost immediately, a gigantic sand-shaped paw emerged from the dome after him, black claws extended. "SHIT!" He dove out of the way, the claws barely scraping along his ankles. _What the hell is that thing?_ He stared at the limb, the claws reaching and grabbing at empty air. _That was a close one. Wait._ "Sasuke!"

A muffled sound came from the sphere.

"SASUKE!"

* * *

Sasuke wasn't sure what the hell was going on, but Gaara hadn't attacked him since the sand had closed in on them. Instead, the other teen fell to his knees with his head clutched between both hands. His body was trembling. The gourd fell to the ground with a dull _clunk_ , his strap sagging over one shoulder.

"Gaara?"

_This is what Chosun was afraid of?_

Sasuke moved closer, keeping one hand on a knife from his belt pouch. Should Gaara choose to lash out at him a knife might not really do him any good, but it reassured his own nerves.

He peered at the top of Gaara's head. The dark red hair seemed to be fluttering from invisible wind.

"Gaara."

"Get…back…"

Sasuke's dark brows wrinkled. _Is this part of his power? Does it…hurt him when he uses it?_ He held out the knife. "You were the one who asked me to fight you. Why fight when you can't even control yourself?"

"You don't…g-get it," Gaara whispered. He raised his pale green eyes. "I didn't…I feel an urge to fight…you. Your power…I can feel it _rolling_ off of you. It's…to me it feels…"

"Feels?"

Gaara closed his eyes. "Intoxicating." He took a deep breath. "The s-same goes for Uzumaki. I'm u-urged to…fight…because of…"

"The demon?" Gaara nodded jerkily. "How do you hybrids work anyhow?"

_Will Naruto be just like you someday?_

The livid tattoo on the side of his forehead seemed to glow. A dry chuckle escaped from his lips. _**"Do you really want to know?"**_ There it was…that gravel sound, but this time it seemed to be mixed in with a deeper voice. Sasuke took a step back as Gaara stood up. He readjusted the gourd on his back. _**"I can show you."**_

Oh hell. He really asked for it hadn't he? Sasuke took another step back, doing his best not to stumble and collide against the sandy walls. Luckily the sphere was big enough to give them room to maneuver. "Gaara."

 _ **"He's asleep,"**_ said the redhead. His mouthed stretched into an eerie grin from one cheek to the other. _**"And we'd better not wake him. The poor kid has had it rough trying to keep me away,**_ **especially** _ **with you and that blond demon."**_ The light irises dilated, the nostrils flared. _**"But I can send messages his way if you like."**_

Sasuke's grip on the knife almost slipped. Gaara was asleep? _I thought someone mentioned he was an insomniac. Is it because…is it because he has_ this _other personality in his head?_

He watched as the demon bent forward at the waist, almost slouching. His arms swung from side to side, sand piling up from the ground and clinging to his body. Sasuke scowled. Whoever this guy was, he was _not_ going to be intimidated by him. He'd faced worse in his nightmares.

"What am I supposed to call you?"

A pile of sand rose up and floated around Gaara's face, melting into it and shaping into some kind of animal. The irises were now gold and surrounded by a sclera of black. Sasuke, suppressing a shudder, reached behind him for his needles. Unlike the poison-tipped ones Kankuro favored, these had been dunked in sleeping solution. His other hand scrambled back for the sloped wall of the dome.

_They wouldn't want me to kill him._

_**"Shukaku will do just fine kid."** _

That was all he had time for before Sasuke threw the needles in his direction.

* * *

"THEY'RE _WHAT?_ "

Chosun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Matsuri told me Naruto and Sasuke are still outside. They didn't make it back to the inn."

Temari caught Chosun by the chest, throwing him backward into one of the chairs. "Then where the hell _are_ they? Do you know?" He shook his head. "Damn those morons!"

"You're telling me," muttered Kankuro. The Shuryo had just barely managed to shoo the other council members out of the meeting room when Chosun came in with the message. More headaches for everyone. "Where's Matsuri now?"

"I sent her and a few others to find them," said Chosun. His hand drifted up to rest against his ugly scar. "They should be able to track them down before things get out of control. Hopefully we won't have to tell Cassandra anything."

The siblings nodded. It would be an even bigger nuisance for the sage to find out her two "charges" were currently wandering outside with a murderous demon hybrid.

The double doors opened and closed. "Oh there you are. Tell me what?"

Of course they should've expected fate not to work to their advantage either.

_Damn it._

* * *

_"Katon: Purgatory!"_

Naruto spun his practice sword around and around, unleashing a spiral of orange and blue fire. The flames circled the giant dome before consuming it. The sand claw writhed and retreated back into the dome, parts of it crumbling into the ground.

 _Uuuuh…maybe that was a bit too far._ Naruto peered at the giant ball of fire hopefully. Gaara was creepy but he held no real animosity toward him. And sure, he still didn't really like Sasuke despite their cooperation. But that didn't mean he wanted his rival to die! Then who would serve as his worthy obstacle?

A grating voice jerked him back to the present. _**"You'll have to do better than that kid."**_

As the flames died down, several of the claws pushed out of the dome. Naruto gaped. The sides weren't even covered with ash! As the claws rushed at him, he frantically summoned up a basic earth shield against their attack.

_BAM!_

"Waaaaaaaaaaaa!" The claws smashed through the earth shield, sending the blond warrior careening through the air. _"Fui—_ shit! _Fuiton!"_

The wind picked up and swirled around his falling body, gently setting him on the ground. Naruto got to his feet, breathing heavily. Thank Kami for the most basic of anima spells.

"Gaara! Stop it!"

 _ **"Gaara doesn't want to,"**_ said the voice with a dry chuckle. _**"Gaara wants to have fun."**_ _THWAM!_ The claws slammed against the ground, sending up a wave of chunks of earth and sand.

"AGH!" Naruto was flung backwards again, landing awkwardly on his side. He ignored the pain throbbing in his rib and leg, using his arm to shield his eyes from the onslaught of sand.

_"…it!"_

_Is that—_ "Sasuke?" He struggled to his feet and ducked behind a moonlit boulder to keep away from the claws. There was the sound of scuffling within the giant sand ball followed by a hoarse cry. "Sasuke!"

_"Naruto, wherever you are, get back!"_

"But what about you?"

_"I'm keeping him…busy!"_

Naruto dodged behind another boulder. _Skkkkkrrrrr._ The claws sliced against it, leaving gouge marks and Naruto's ears ringing from the sound. "Just give me a minute! I'll get you out!"

" _I don't HAVE a minute usuratonkachi!"_ Sasuke yelled through the dome, former stoicism gone. _"You're—ugh!—not stuck in here with him!"_

 _Point taken._ Naruto swallowed. "Then what do you expect me to do?"

 _"I told you to get back didn't I?"_ Sasuke sounded exasperated. _"I have an idea on how to get out of here. But while I do, you have to figure out how to restrain him."_

Restrain? Restrain a demon? _Wouldn't that just make him even more pissed off?_ Naruto wondered. He voiced this to the trapped Uchiha.

_"You got a better idea?"_

"I guess not." The blond reached into his pouch, rustling around. His hands closed on a coil of shimmering thread. It would have to be enough. "All right Sa—huh?"

An odd sound was coming from the sand structure, a sort of crackling chirping sound. Tiny chinks were forming along the sides of the dome. Naruto stared, forgetting about the thread. _What the hell?_

 _ **"What are you doing boy?"**_ The gravel-filled voice was back but it now sounded agitated. The crackling grew louder. _**"What is that?"**_

From over the strange sound, Naruto could make out his rival's faint whisper.

_"Chidori Nagashi."_

**_To Be Continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other important stuff):
> 
> Matsuri: is a traditional Japanese festival. The character is from one of the fillers of Naruto (I don't know too much about her though).
> 
> Joushi: means "boss." This will be one the standard title for lesser yokai to address Orochimaru or Jin.
> 
> Fuiton: Dust Wind: means "Release Wind! Dust Wind!" This basic technique allows the user to summon a giant swirl of wind as either an offensive attack or a shield using the dust particles of the ground.
> 
> Katon: Purgatory: means "Release Fire! Purgatory!" This is a powerful version of ordinary fire attacks. The user may use objects to spin the blue and orange flames to allow the fire to consume a larger area.
> 
> *The Mikomi's aura viewing and manipulation is only slightly similar to the Byakugan. Unlike the Byakugan, the Mikomi's trait can't see through the person's body into their inner networks. So they can't disable the weakpoints since they can't see them. More of their actual power will be shown possibly in the next chapter though probably not necessarily by Cassandra.
> 
> **They're not mentioned in here, but you will hear a bit about Kiri and the Swordsmen of the Mist in later chapters. The Swordsmen of the Mist will be more akin to a legend though.


	9. Beyond the Seal

" _We have all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the power we choose to act on. That's who we really are."—_ Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

" _Still hard to believe that you of all people are the chosen one. Well, I suppose beggars can't be choosers,"—_ Leon (Squall), Kingdom Hearts

Chosun, Temari, and Kankuro were correct in assuming Cassandra would not be happy about what was going on. What they hadn't planned was the sage going from upset to livid in a matter of seconds.

"You have got to be KIDDING me! What the HELL were they thinking?" she ranted as she stomped up and down the stone floor of the enormous conference room. Her long hair billowed behind her like a small black thundercloud. "Gaara's a hanyou! They can't take him on when he's not in control! I guess I wouldn't put it past Naruto to not turn down a challenge, but Sasuke _agreed?_ When I get my hands on them, I'm going to turn them into ice sculptures!"

Kankuro scratched his tattooed cheek and scooted his chair away from her nervously. He _really_ didn't like the ominous feeling Cassandra's aura was giving off. Maybe reassuring her would save his office from her rage.

"We don't know what happened Cassandra. Maybe Gaara ambushed them on the way back to the inn. It wouldn't be the first time he's done it."

"Yeah maybe," grumbled Temari who was sitting in one of the high-backed chairs facing the center table. She glanced at the gray-haired slayer huddled in the corner of the room. He was listening to a tiny radio attached to his jacket collar. "You okay?"

Chosun looked at her and she could see distress lines along his brow. "No," he whispered. "Matsuri never responded when I asked her where she and her group were. Something is wrong and I…I don't..."

That was an understatement, the others thought. If Matsuri was unable to answer her radio, then she was either incapacitated by Gaara or too afraid to reach for it.

Cassandra suddenly stopped pacing the stone floor. In her progress, she'd halted by the double doors again. _Wait a minute. Why didn't I think of it before?_ "Is there any information about seals in the library? A seal would be able to restrain aura or a person's abilities right?"

Chosun shrugged as he came over to take a seat next to Temari. "I wouldn't know. I've been out of the loop for the last several months because of missions." He turned to the Shuryo and asked, "Would a seal be able to stop Gaara's powers?"

"Well yeah, but there's a problem." Kankuro gestured to four tall statues carved into the gray walls. The one he flicked his hand toward was a stern-looking man with short messy hair. "Our father never spoke about using a seal for Gaara. The previous Shuryos' insisted that method of study be reserved for the sages under Lady Chiyo, because it's very confusing and dangerous. Besides, I don't think anyone has ever attempted to seal _demonic_ aura."

Chosun groaned. "So it's back to the usual 'subdue Gaara until he wakes up' routine." He lifted a tanned hand to the crude scar slashed across his cheek. Temari and Kankuro visibly cringed when they saw it. "I suppose…I should go alert my team."

Kankuro stood up. "Temari, you should go with Chosun. The slayers will listen to you. I'll speak to the administrators about securing the city grounds. There shouldn't be anyone on the streets now except for our troublemakers and Matsuri's group."

The pair nodded confidently, unaware that a certain sage had slipped away from the room.

* * *

 _Chidori Nagashi? What the hell is Chidori Nagashi?_ Naruto wondered as he stared at the tiny cracks forming along the sand dome. In his classes with Kakashi and Jiraiya, the masters would occasionally let slip about rare tricks slayers would use in battle. However, he couldn't recall a time they mentioned anything "Chidori" related.

Another muffled grunt emitted from the dome followed by scuffling. _No time to think about that now._ Remembering what he was supposed to be doing, Naruto yanked the coil of wired thread out of his pouch and looped it twice around his left hand. _Teme, I really hope you're not doing something stupid in there._

"Uzumaki-san! Is that you?"

_Oh this can't be good._

The girl he had met at the greenhouse, Matsuri, ran up behind him. She was followed by three men with bandannas tied to the arms of their tan flak jackets. Grayish brown head scarves covered their hair to keep away the sand. The bandannas were stamped with a symbol not unlike the one used by the hunters back in Konoha.

_These must be the hunters of Suna._

"Uzumaki-san, get away from Gaara-sama." Matsuri motioned for him to step back. "It's dangerous!"

Naruto shook his head, staying where he was. "I can't. Sasuke is—"

"I think it's too late for him," said one of the men; the one with black hair covering a single eye under his head scarf. "Once Shukaku has someone in its clutches, there's no chance of survival."

"NO!" Naruto tightened his hold on the thread. His blue eyes flashed frantically in the darkness. "Sasuke will make it. Don't you see?" He pointed at the cracks in the sand dome. Someone was shouting something inaudible again from within. "He's getting himself out!"

Matsuri turned to glare up at the older hunter. It was almost comical as the top of her brown head barely came up to his chest. "Yura, have you forgotten that these people are guests of the Shuryo? If they get hurt, the blame will fall on our city for not doing a damn thing to stop it."

Yura glared back at her. Apparently, he did not enjoy being lectured by someone who looked about ten years his junior. "We could always tell the council of Konoha the truth," he snapped. "Our guests were the ones who decided to provoke Gaara-sama. They should accept the consequences even it means the death of one stupid—."

Before Matsuri could retort, Naruto walked up to the guy and grabbed him by the front of his flak jacket. He yanked him close to his face, forgetting about the thread and the giant dome of sand. A burning sensation pulsed in the corners of his eyes and spread across his face.

"If you know what's good for you," he growled. "You'll shut up about Sasuke…right now."

He could take snubs to himself and people he didn't know with little problem. But for some reason, the idea of this man insulting Sasuke made his blood curdle. He squeezed the thick fabric bunched in his fists. _You don't even know him!_

Yura's eyes suddenly widened in fright and he clawed at Naruto's hands to release him. "G-get your hands off of me! Monster!"

_Monster?_ Naruto flinched. The burning in his eyes intensified and he felt a hot drop of…something…settle somewhere around his stomach. _Monster?_

"Yura!" One of the other men, a brunet with squinted eyes and spiky brown hair, darted forward. Matsuri raised her arm in front of him, blocking him. "Get out of the way Matsuri!"

She shook her head. "Wait Otokaze." One finger flicked toward the blond warrior, who was now removing his hand from Yura's jacket and backing away from him. His face had gone oddly slack. "Uzumaki-san, are you all right?" she asked, lowering the arm blocking Otokaze. The man immediately burst forward to catch Yura's shaking form. "Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto brought a hand to his face, running his fingertips along the whisker scars. They felt the same, slightly rough. He slid his fingers up along the skin around his eyes and up to his temples. The burning was gone but a dull throb served as a reminder.

Where had it come from?

"What are you—?"

_"AAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHH!"_

Naruto spun around to stare at the dome. The sides were collapsing in on themselves.

"SASUKE!"

"GAARA-SAMA!"

With a faint _hiss_ , the dome crumbled, gritty sand spilling onto the ground and over two human-shaped lumps. One of the lumps rose, sand slipping off of it to behold Gaara; clutching his arms and breathing heavily. Sand was falling off of his pale face in clumps. The cloth where the shoulder and torso met was stained with fresh blood, leeched black in the faint moonlight. His gourd cracked in several places.

"It's…it's my blood. _My_ blood."

The other lump didn't move. Instead the sand covering it trickled up into the air, revealing an unconscious Sasuke, and drifted back into Gaara's open gourd. The Uchiha's body was stretched out facedown across the ground.

Naruto ran over to his rival's side, ignoring Matsuri's warning cry and his own injuries. "Sasuke!" He frantically shook the other teen's limp shoulder. The gritty white sand melded with the fabric of his shirt as he turned him over on his back. "Get up!"

Sasuke's lips moved but otherwise he did not respond. His lips were bleeding and scratches from the rough sand decorated his arms and face. His sleeveless shirt was split along its sides and he clutched a short blood-stained wakazashi in one bruised hand. The blade's edges fizzled with blue electricity.

_What…what did Gaara do to you?_ Naruto brushed the boy's raven hair away from his moonlit forehead. Sasuke's eyelids fluttered with the motion but they did not open. Naruto felt the burn in his stomach rise, searing around his heart. _Sasuke._

"Naru…to…Uzumaki…"

The blond turned toward Gaara, who was now leaning his upper body forward. He lifted a trembling hand to press against his face as clumps of sand drifted over his body again. "I-I'm…sorry." He shut his eyes as the sand settled into his skin. The dark lines around his eyes expanded, mingling with the whitened sand. "I…I can't…"

Matsuri and the hunters backed away from Gaara in alarm. The night air around the crazed man whistled and whipped erratically. Beams from the bright moon caused his fair skin to emit a faint glow. "Uzumaki-san!" she yelled. "Get away from there! He'll kill you!"

But Naruto stayed, watching the bizarre transformation. He could feel the power rolling off of the hybrid's thin body and washing over his own. _Man that's creepy._ His left hand squeezed the wired thread reassuringly.

Gaara opened his eyes, the irises bright yellow instead of their usual sedate green. _**"Why are ya asleep?"**_ He grinned, teeth stretching and sharpening. His voice was hoarse and slurred. _**"Uchiha?"**_ He dragged his feet forward as if he were walking through the ocean. _**"Wazzat it? You landed one hit on me and you freaked the kid out**_ **so** _ **badly, he's out cold again."**_ The tan-white sand spilled out of the gourd, struggling to form claws. _**"Don't believe I said**_ **you** _ **could sleep. I'm not done with you yet pretty boy."**_

"You stay away from him!" Naruto snapped angrily, one arm shielding Sasuke's limp body. He held up the wired thread. "I think you're done having fun!"

_**"No I'm not."**_ said Gaara. His sharp-toothed smile widened as sand swept across his jawbone. _ **"But if little Uchiha doesn't want to get up to play then I guess I have to settle for you."**_ He inhaled deeply, the sand creeping up over his dilating nostrils. _**"Ya smell funny boy. Why? It's not your usual smell. No it's not. It's…what's the word? Potent."**_

Naruto brushed his hand against Sasuke's face again, ignoring Gaara's ramblings. A pained moan escaped his rival's lips. "Naruto…"

"It's okay. Don't try to talk."

"Naru…"

"Don't worry. I'll try to move him away from you and the others." He slowly stood up. "I'll be your opponent now! I'm not afraid of you Gaara!" Fingers pressed together, he screwed his eyes shut and concentrated most of his energy to his center. _"Kage Bunshin!"_

_BAMF!_

His execution of the technique had improved over the past week under Temari and Chosun's firm guidance. Seven clones materialized from white smoke beside him; each of them poised to fight. Yet for some strange reason he felt the flare spread like liquid along the contours of his front. His stomach tightened against the bristling feeling. _What the hell?_ That never happened before when he used Kage Bunshin. Why now?

_"Monster!"_

_No. I'm not a monster. I'm not a demon! Cassandra has to be wrong. I'm not!_ The burn was probably a new side effect to Kage Bunshin. Yeah that was it. The other clones didn't seem affected by it anyway.

And yet…if the girl had been wrong about her clan's abilities, then what the hell _was_ this feeling?

He tugged the hem of his shirt up, hissing as the cool cloth brushed against his stomach. The faintest tracings of dark swirls appeared on the tanned skin. _Uuuh, I don't remember ever getting my stomach tattooed. And…hey did it just get darker?_

"WATCH OUT!"

Matsuri's cry jerked Naruto back to the present. One of the giant sand arms was hurtling toward him from the air. He yanked the shirt down. _Shit! Why am I just standing here looking at my navel?_ "GO!"

Four of the clones leaped into the air, their fists upraised to smash through the sand. Naruto followed behind them while the other three clones, one carrying Sasuke's unconscious body, raced over to join the hunters.

Gaara laughed. _**"Don't be so stupid!"**_ The sand arm twitched as its exterior hardened to that of compact earth. _**"I can read your moves!"**_

_THWAM!_ He slammed the arm down on top of Naruto and the clones, the claws on the paw leaving long gouge marks in the ground. The three clones on the sidelines vanished with a faint _poof!_

"Uzumaki-san!" Matsuri cried out. "Satetsu! Help me!" She and the last hunter dashed forward, leaving Otokaze and Yura to watch over Sasuke. However, they were stopped by a rough voice coming from underneath the claw.

_"Don't move!"_

_BAMF! BOOM!_

The rock armor surrounding the paw exploded in a shower of dirt and pebbles. Matsuri and Satetsu backed away quickly while shielding their heads from the falling debris. The hanyou howled in shock and outrage as the remaining sand fell away and moonlight shone on the gouged spot. Naruto's body was gone and only an enormous crude hole remained. The remains of paper exploding tags fluttered around the spot.

_**"Where are you Uzumaki?"**_ Gaara took a step forward. His black-and-gold eyes darted around in frenzied time to the sand swirling around him. _**"WHERE ARE YOU HIDING?"**_

_CRACK!_

Naruto burst through the earth directly beneath Gaara, one tan hand curling into an uppercut and the other flinging the looped wire around Gaara's chest. _THWACK!_ His fist collided with Gaara's chin and the force of the blow sent the other boy flying backwards. Sand and dirt followed his body, slipping underneath it to protect him from the brunt of the earth's impact.

_"Fuuton!"_

The hybrid looked up just in time as a blast of wind from Naruto hit him full in the face. The sand shield beneath him crumbled away, letting him fall to earth.

His feet giving out under him, Naruto collapsed onto his backside as he tugged at his end of the thread. Scratches and bruises lined his arms, and sand fell away from his hair when he shook it. He reached up to wipe at a trickle of blood spilling down his chin. "Had enough?" he wheezed. Another trickle of blood slid down the side of his face to rest against the whisker marks.

A dry chuckle escaped from the demon's lips followed by the sound of his sand armor cracking. He propped himself up on his elbows. Clumps of sand dropped into his lap. _**"Nice trick**_ ," he hissed. _**"I'll admit ya took me by surprise. But…"**_ Gaara's pale fingers dug into the shield beneath him. _**"I still have a few tricks of my own."**_

The scattered dirt and sand from Naruto's explosion rose up into the air, melding together into a giant clod of earth just as Gaara's sharp nails sliced through the wire thread around his chest. Naruto flinched and scuttled backwards on his hands. The packed dirt and sand followed him, hovering gently as if it were strung up by the finest thread.

_Damn it. What's he doing now?_

Gaara's lengthened jaws fashioned themselves into a smirk. _**"Are you scared?"**_ He flexed his fingers. _**"Drizzle."**_

The floating earth exploded, raining sharpened sand down onto the ground and Naruto's prone body. He barely had time to throw up his arms to shield his face from the debris. "Ugh!" The sand slashed through his shirt and tore at his flesh. "D-damn it." He crumbled into a ball as streaks of blood dribbled from the cuts to the ground. Across from him, Gaara laughed and began to gather sand against his arms to form the giant paws again.

_**"That was fun!"**_ he said gleefully. _**"You want to go again?"**_

_W-what do I do now?_ The fire in his stomach seemed to rise again as if outraged by the attack. _Kami…what now?_

* * *

An elderly couple sat across from each other in front of a dark blue pond outside the main city of Suna. The entirety of the pond was surrounded by a circular wall with a single cut-out leading to some squat white buildings.

The man reached out to touch the still water, the shadows of the dome's sides shrouding his blue-veined hands. His sunken dark eyes stared straight ahead into the night underneath thick white eyebrows. It was so quiet and peaceful…and he could hear someone coming to disturb it.

"Hey Chiyo?"

There was a small grunt of acknowledgement from the cloth-covered lump across from him.

"You better look lively Chiyo," the man whispered. "Somebody's here."

Chiyo's thin shoulders rose up in an attempt to shrug. "So? Why would they care if I look dead or alive Ebizo?" she hissed back. Her voice was hoarse in the twilight air.

"They would want to make sure you _are_ actually alive if they come to you for something," a lighter voice quipped. "That is, if they don't want to look stupid."

The couple shifted around in their crossed positions toward the voice. Two glowing spheres of light bobbed up and down in the air, illuminating the stone floor and the water's surface. Chiyo squinted. A girl with long black hair walked between the spheres. She halted just a few feet away.

Ebizo nodded his bandage-covered head cautiously in greeting. "Who are you?"

The girl bowed. "My name is Cassandra," she said. "I am a daughter of the Mikomi clan in Konoha—"

"Forget the formalities child. We're too old to care," interrupted Chiyo. She beckoned Cassandra to come closer with one wrinkled hand. "Get over here so we can see you and just tell us why you've disturbed us."

Cassandra hesitated under her grumpy glare, but Chiyo shrugged impatiently and beckoned again. "Okay." She cleared her throat and took a few steps forward, expression now serious in the floating light. "I'll try to make this quick. Kankuro told me you've been studying how to create seals Lady Chiyo."

"When I'm bored in my spare time," Chiyo cracked. "If you're looking for a teacher, I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm retired and _happily_ so." She tilted her gray head at Ebizo behind her. "My brother won't be much help either. He was never part of the classes."

The old man grinned, revealing a few naked gums in between teeth yellowed and frail with age. "I spent more time meddling with the affairs of the council. It was fun."

Cassandra shook her head. "I didn't come here for you to teach me how to make a seal. I came here to ask you a few questions. Like what a seal does to a person's power."

"Oh." Chiyo straightened up, her black eyes lit up with interest. "Seals can be used for two things in humans: to contain a person's power or to give a person more power. Sometimes a seal can even prevent a person from manipulating his own aura and will drain his energy if he tries to fight it. You have to be pretty skilled to even execute a seal properly though. If you do something stupid, you end up dead." She frowned suddenly. "You should've found something in the library. I wrote down a few facts in a scroll to keep that idiot council from pestering me."

"The library didn't fully answer my question," replied the girl. "They had the information you wrote down, but something important was missing." She took another step closer. One light sphere dipped near to her face while the other floated toward the rock walls of the dome. "Will these seals also work on a demon?"

_A…a demon?_ Ebizo exchanged a bewildered look with his sister. Was this kid serious?

Chiyo coughed. "Uh why _would_ a human seal work against a demon? Their species is much stronger than us so any magic _they've_ mastered would prove more effective." She attempted to play this off as sarcasm even though there was a faint tremble in her voice as she spoke. "Why? Do you have a demon to seal up?"

A small wrinkle creased the younger girl's shadowed forehead. "Not exactly," she muttered. Her fingers twitched as if itching to tug at her dark locks or clothing. "I _am_ worried about the repercussions of having a hanyou running around the city though."

_Oooh._ Chiyo noted her anxious demeanor. "Has that schizophrenic brat been causing trouble again?"

Cassandra frowned and her fingers ceased twitching. "Gaara's not schizophrenic or a brat," she said sullenly. "It's just that damned demonic side of him messing with his head."

"He sounds perfectly sane," Chiyo snarked. She grinned, but it slipped off her face at the deepened scowl on the girl's countenance. "Okay, I won't tease you. You want me to place a seal on him to restrain the demonic aura's influence. That is what you want right?"

Now it was Ebizo's turn to cough. This would not bode well for them. The council would not dare approve of such a seal if it threatened Chiyo's health; no matter what position of power Gaara-sama retained in the community.

Before the young sage could answer, Chiyo pressed on. "Or…maybe you weren't telling the truth earlier and you really do want me to teach you how to do it. If that were the case—"

"I told you, that's not what I'm here for!" snapped Cassandra, cutting her off. Then she seemed to realize what she had done and looked ashamed. "Sorry." She knelt, drawing her fingertips together on the ground, and bowed. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I forgot my place," she whispered.

Ebizo smiled and stood up even as Chiyo rolled her eyes at the mention of the word "place." He groaned softly as he placed weight on his stiff knees, but he walked over to Cassandra anyway and touched her head with his palm. Her hair was fine, if a bit coarse from being exposed to the rough sand and wind for days. "Nonsense child. There's no need for apologies here. You're not in front of the council."

"Th-thank you," stammered Cassandra as she lifted her head to meet his crinkled black eyes. The light sphere swam over his face, casting dappled shadows along the creases in his forehead and long brows. She stared at him keenly. "You are the Honored Siblings, the grand masters of the city. Shouldn't you have more power over the council and be able to override their desires to keep Gaara unstable?"

"That'd be the case if we still felt like having our say," Chiyo piped up. She stood up to join Ebizo. Unlike him, the ground seemed to roll beneath the folds of her long robe. "But like I told you, we're retired. The council only comes to us if they have something very serious to discuss. They figured Gaara would be better off fighting his demonic side's influence on his own."

Cassandra couldn't resist rolling her eyes. _Oh and that's been going so well._

Ebizo sighed heavily, hand still settled on the sage's hair. "And they have a point about that," he whispered. "Sealing the boy would be a tremendous strain. We're not young as you can see, and the process has some undesirable side effects. Chiyo hasn't even attempted to seal demonic aura because of the dangers associated with it. The ophanin warned us about them." He removed his hand. "Is Gaara-sama's situation really troubling you that much?"

Cassandra shifted out of her kneeled stance and stood up, brushing gravel from her dark blue pants. "Yes and no." She held out her hand and one of the light spheres zoomed toward it. She closed her fingers around it, a blank look on her face. "May I see this information the ophanin gave you Lady Chiyo?"

Chiyo frowned. "What makes you think I have something like that with me? Even if I did have it, I'd have turned it in to the council."

"You said that you gave the council a few facts to keep them quiet. You didn't say you told them _everything._ Whether you trust the ophanin or not, I doubt you would have given the council any information about their abilities since sealing is so dangerous. I also figured from your condescending attitude toward the council that you didn't mind skirting their authority once in a while."

A different emotion passed over Chiyo's face, one of skepticism. She slid her wrinkled hands into the sleeves of her long robe. "So how should I know you aren't going to use the information for sinister purposes child?" she demanded.

At this, Cassandra's enigmatic expression morphed in the shadows and she favored Chiyo with a sly smile. "If I do, you aren't responsible for me are you?"

Ebizo shook his head at her daring. Chiyo, however, laughed. _I like her._ "That boy must really be important to you if you're willing to risk your life."

The smile vanished. "It's not Gaara I'm worried about."

* * *

"That's enough!" Satetsu dashed toward Gaara again, ignoring a warning cry from Matsuri and his teammates. "Gaara-sama, you have to stop this! Shukaku will take over—"

_CRACK!_

Gaara whipped the giant paw outward and smashed it against the man's body, sending him careening through the air to slam into a pile of rocks. Matsuri screamed. Yura and Otokaze left her side and ran toward the rocks, hoping that their comrade was still alive.

_**"Sand Tsunami!"** _

A massive amount of white sand and dirt rushed toward the pair, piling up into a giant wave. Matsuri glanced at her teammates frantically. "YURA!" she yelled. Yura and Otokaze did not look like they'd even heard the rumble let alone her cry. The wave climbed higher, twisting and molding into a slightly liquid form. "OTOKAZE!"

Gaara's mouth twitched. He lifted a free hand and clenched it into a fist. _**"Idiots."**_

Before Naruto could comprehend what had happened, he found himself surrounded by an ocean of scratchy dry sand. He scrambled to his feet, the sand making sucking noises as he yanked his arms away from it. Chunks of sand stuck to his hair and clothes and he slapped at it, tearing away the substance furiously. A few grains scrapped along his cuts, but he did his best to ignore the pain. _Now what?_

He glanced around frantically. Two large sand mounds lifted up above the ground, the tops slipping away to reveal Yura and Otokaze's pain-filled faces. Another mound rose up and disintegrated to show Matsuri coughing and sputtering. But then…

"Sasuke?" Naruto scanned the sand ocean again. There was no other mound next to Matsuri. "SASUKE!"

_No! Where are you? Where are you?_

"SASUKE!"

"It's Shukaku!" Matsuri's hoarse yell alerted him to what the _real_ danger still was. He shifted his gaze to where Gaara had been standing—and his jaw dropped.

What was standing there in his place was a large tan-white creature resembling a tanuki with blue squiggles crossing all over his body. Yellow irises with black sclera stared at its captives hungrily, drool dripping from the ends of sharp fangs. His tail swayed back and forth behind him, just barely hiding the still human legs fusing together with the sand below.

The creature growled, tilting his profile up to capture the moon's glow before he turned his leer on Naruto. The blond swallowed. Crap, he didn't mean for the hanyou to notice him even if it meant keeping its attention away from the others. "Um…uh…what's up?" He raised a nervous hand in greeting.

Shukaku smiled at him in response. _**"So where were we?"**_ He took a huge breath, enlarging his paunch until it swelled out. He then raised his enormous paw and slammed it against the distended chest. _**"Fuuton: Air Bullet!"**_ A large burst of compressed air shot out of his mouth, rocketing toward Naruto in the shape of a sphere.

Naruto reached for his practice katana. _This calls for a little Purgato—huh?_ His hand grasped onto empty air. Had the sword been knocked free earlier in the wave of sand? _Damn it! Shukaku's too close and…and I suck at other forms of magic._ He shut his eyes, preparing to meet the blast head-on with a basic earth technique even though he doubted it would stand up against the blast. Matsuri was screaming at him to run.

" _Doton: Earth Dome!"_

Naruto slammed his palms on the ground. Sand and dirt flew up before curving into a compact half-dome over his head. _Give me something._ The weird fire in his stomach flared again as if responding to Shukaku's attack. _Just…give me something._

_WHAM!_

He could feel the air bullet slamming into the earth dome, breaking against the surface. Wind whistled through the cracks forming along its surface. Yet… He opened his eyes hesitantly. Amazingly, the wall remained standing.

_Whew! That was close!_ Naruto ran his fingers along the cracks in the wall. _I wonder how this thing held._

As if to answer him, the strange warmth traveled away from his stomach and up his arms. _What the—?_ He tugged up his torn shirt again. The black swirls seemed to be fusing together, forming a giant spiral. Tiny whorls not unlike those that appeared in Sasuke's Sharingan appeared around the spiral.

"That…wasn't there before." Naruto hesitantly reached down to touch the spiral. The tattooed surface didn't _feel_ any different from his normal skin, save for the searing heat concentrated around it. A zing of pain shot through him and he grimaced. "This is too weird."

Suddenly he heard Matsuri scream. "UCHIHA-SAN!"

_Uchiha-san?_ Naruto leaped to his feet. _Sasuke!_

He heard the swish and thud of a knife soaring through the air and smacking against a solid object. Matsuri cried out again. "Gaara-sama! Stop it!"

_WHAT?_ Naruto pressed his palms against the ground. _"Kai!"_ The earth dome crumbled around him as he leaped to his feet.

Shukaku roared with laughter as Matsuri attempted to throw another knife at him. Sasuke's unconscious body dangled from one of his enormous paws.

_**"Careful! You don't wanna hit him do ya?"** _

"Hey ugly!" Naruto yelled. "Let him go!"

_**"Hm…I don't think so. I kinda like him like this."** _

The searing heat in Naruto's stomach morphed, twirling in thin vapors as it traveled up across his chest and down his legs. For some reason his injuries began to sting as it they were being doused in ointment. Yet all of that paled in comparison to his mounting anger. "I _said,_ " he growled through clenched teeth. "LET HIM GO!"

Shukaku laughed. _**"Make me."**_

Naruto took a step forward. He flexed his fingers, the knuckles cracking. "Wrong answer."

His chest was screaming in pain but he ignored it. _Concentrate_. He pressed his fingers together again, focusing all of his energy into his center. _Come on._ The pain intensified and he gasped as a headache throbbed in his temple. _Ignore it. Just ignore it. Come…on!_ A red haze spread over his vision and he felt something give way. His teeth dug into his lip and he tasted blood.

_"MULTIPLE KAGE BUNSHIN!"_

_POOF! BAMF!_

Instead of the usual small group, _hundreds_ of clones appeared on the spot. A few rushed over to help the downed group of hunters, but the rest stayed where they were to await instructions.

"You know what to do!"

With a loud cry, the clones charged at the hanyou who roared with laughter at the sight of this latest challenge. He grabbed a few clones with his unoccupied paw and crushed them, causing them to disappear into wisps of smoke. However, several jumped onto his back out of reach. Others circled around him, throwing punches or grabbing onto his body to anchor him in his place. Shukaku's smile slid into an angered snarl and his attacks became more violent. _POOF!_ Several clones vanished from the strikes of his claws even as more came to take their place.

Naruto grinned. _That'll buy me some time. Now to get Sasuke—_ Suddenly his chest erupted with pain and he fell to his knees. "AGH! W-what the hell?" The burning pain traveled back up his legs and down his arms, centering near his middle. He pressed a shaky hand against his stomach. The pain spiked and he could feel his vision starting to blur. _What's happening to me?_

"Uzumaki-san!" Matsuri stopped throwing her knives, forgetting about Shukaku and saving Sasuke altogether. "What's wrong?"

Shukaku stopped growling and fighting off the clones. _This…power…_ He sniffed the air, hackles raised. _What is it?_ There was something primal about the blond boy's countenance. He carried a similar scent to his own but there appeared to be an undertone of fire and chaotic energy mixed in. It smelled even more enticing than before.

_Interesting._

Naruto, on the other hand, was not quite so thrilled with the turn of events. His entire body felt like it was on fire. "Damn it." He curled his body into a shaking ball. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. "Why i-is this happening now?"

Shukaku laughed. _**"What's the matter Uzumaki? You lost your edge."**_ He sucked in air again and slammed one of his paws against his chest. _**"Fuuton: Air Bullet!"**_ The air bullet rocketed toward Naruto, destroying several of the clones that attempted to block its path.

Naruto shut his eyes. _Damn it! I need to move! MOVE!_

_"CHIDORI!"_

Naruto was aware of the air bullet slamming into the ground, but for some reason it did not strike him. Instead he felt something grab him by the back of his shirt and jerk him upward into the air. He felt the weightless sensation for only a few seconds before he and his companion crashed backward onto the ground. He could hear Shukaku screaming in fury and pain.

He opened his eyes and saw a small crater in the darkness where the attack must have hit. One of Shukaku's arms had been sliced off, disintegrating into the sand beneath him. Matsuri was staring at him in astonishment. _What happened?_ He turned his head to glance at his rescuer, his heart willing itself to stop racing.

"I should have known you'd do a lousy job at restraining him." Sasuke glared at him through exhausted onyx eyes. Tiny electric currents fizzled from his left hand before dying out. "Can't you do anything right usuratonkachi?"

Normally Naruto would have punched him for the insult, but he was too relieved to bother. He yanked Sasuke forward and hugged him. "Like you did any better." The startled gasp indicated that the other boy hadn't been expecting it at all.

For the first time in hours, he smiled.

* * *

"Riaru! Riaru!"

The ophan groaned and forced her eyes open. It felt like somebody was shaking her.

_What…who?_

The shaking stopped and Iruka's worried face swam into her vision. One of his hands felt along her head, pressing gently against her temples. Soft green light surrounded his fingers. "Are you all right?"

"I…I think so." She turned her head, only just realizing her body was lying on a faded blue rug pressed against a plush maroon couch. A further glance at the mahogany chabudai near her hand confirmed she was in their living room. "What happened?"

Relief filled Iruka's dark eyes. "You were walking to your room when you suddenly collapsed Ri-chan," he said. He slid an arm under her back, hoisting her upper body up to sit. "You don't remember?"

_I remember walking through the front door and through the hallway and…I felt something. My chest felt tight and there was a...fire around my heart. Then nothing._ She repeated this to Iruka, not noticing the worried look returning to his eyes. "It was probably something in my lunch," she added.

"I thought you made the bento yourself."

Riaru nodded, frowning. "Maybe there was something wrong with the fish I put in." Ah, that must be the reason. The fish must have been left in the refrigerator too long with Naruto's milk cartons. "Don't worry Iruka-otousan. I'll throw it out." She forced her lips into a reassuring smile.

Iruka continued to stare at her even as he helped her to her feet. She took a cautious step, then another. When Iruka was satisfied she could walk without assistance, she drifted toward the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The sliced fish was sitting on the middle shelf next to a green head of lettuce and an old milk carton. She grimaced. _I wonder if it's turned to cheese by now._ She touched her chest. _And even then…_

"Ri-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure it's the fish and not…not something else?"

Riaru stuck her head around the open fridge door. She smiled again. "What else would it be?"

He did not answer.

_What else would it be?_

* * *

_**"Get up! I need to pay you back for my arm Uchiha!"** _

Apparently Naruto wasn't the only person who was happy Sasuke was awake. Shukaku expressed his own happiness _very_ well by gleefully firing more compressed air balls through his mouth. He laughed when the warriors dove face first into the ground to avoid them.

Sasuke lifted his head to spit out a mouthful of white sand. "What the hell happened to Gaara?" he asked hoarsely. "He still looked somewhat human when I fought him."

Beside him, Naruto grimaced. "His demonic side must have possessed him or something. He started acting crazier once he actually bled and then… _this_ happened." He sent the other boy a suspicious glance. "What was that thing that you hit him with?"

"You're not the only one who's been learning new tricks." Sasuke ducked his head down again to avoid another passing air bullet. More sand whistled past the back of his head. "It's a secret technique called Chidori. The original form is a concentrated amount of electricity held in the palm of your hand. Since it's pretty flashy, you have to be quick when executing it." He shrugged. "Kakashi taught me the basic form. I created another version which can paralyze an opponent. That's what I used on Gaara back in the dome."

"Oh." Naruto, suddenly feeling hollow, turned away. "I see."

_I…I always figured you were the favorite in our class, but…I didn't realize how far ahead you actually were from the rest of us._

Sasuke frowned, noticing the drop in enthusiasm from his rival. _That idiot._ "This is no time to sulk dobe. That thing's going to kill us for ignoring him." He leaped to his feet, seizing Naruto by the front of his ragged shirt to drag him up too. "Besides, you have no reason to sulk," he added quietly and the blond was surprised at the lack of irritation in his tone. "You've probably learned plenty of special techniques from Jiraiya-sama that you've never told anyone about."

Naruto flushed sheepishly. "Heh. I guess you're right." Then he winced as pain flared through his body once more. "Damn it. I still feel it."

Sasuke frowned. "Feel what?"

"I can't really describe it," Naruto replied, grimacing. "It's like…first my stomach acts up and then…I can feel a fire spreading through my body." He shook his head. "I-I'm fine teme. Just concentrate on—" Another jolt of pain raced through his body and he nearly fell to his knees.

Shukaku yowled again in outrage, but Sasuke ignored him. "Calm down." He grabbed Naruto's bare arm. The contact felt like electricity zinging through the blond's skin. "I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong."

At this, Naruto let out a shaky laugh. "I-I didn't know you cared so much teme," he said.

"Shut up," Sasuke replied though his tone was laced with concern. "I just don't want to have to protect your sorry ass if you become dead weight." He shook the blond's arm. "So tell me where it hurts."

Naruto groaned. "Everywhere…but mostly here." He gestured toward his stomach. Sasuke's hand reached down and pressed against the spot directly over his belly. Naruto flinched. All of the heat seemed to zoom toward that spot. "Hold still damn it," Sasuke ordered. He tugged up the torn shirt—and stared. "What the hell is that?"

Naruto followed the Uchiha's gaze until it landed on the black spiral forming on his tan skin. "I don't know. I first saw that when I used Kage Bunshin earlier. This is too weird."

_You mean like this whole night?_ Sasuke thought to himself as he stared at the dark spiral. _It's not an ordinary tattoo. What if it's some kind of demon marking? But if it is one, why hasn't Naruto noticed it a long time ago?_

He shook his head. Never mind the strange tattoo. For now, he had to focus on getting Naruto better. _We can worry about it once this whole mess with Shukaku is done._ He reached into his pouch and pulled out a soldier pill. Then he grabbed Naruto by the chin and pressed the pill against his lips.

Naruto frowned and tried to turn his head away. "What do you think you're doing?"

Sasuke swatted his chin with his other hand. "Just open up and swallow the pill moron," he hissed. "It's supposed to help you."

"How do I know you're not trying to poison me?" said Naruto, turning back to glare at his rival. "And besides, aren't those things only for emergencies?"

"This _is_ an emergency. You'll be a liability if you stay like this. And I don't hate you enough to poison you. So shut up and swallow already."

Sasuke pressed the pill against his rival's lips again and was rewarded by the blond finally taking it in his mouth...along with his finger. Naruto swiped his tongue along the somewhat soft skin once before gulping the pill down. "Dobe!" Sasuke pulled his finger out of Naruto's mouth and released his chin.

"S-sorry," Naruto stammered. "I didn't mean to do that."

Sasuke looked off to the side, a vivid red flush spreading across his cheeks. Tingles raced along his hand. _W-why did…why am I…?_ "Whatever," he finally muttered. "The pill's effects are quick. You should be better in a few minutes."

"Right." Naruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Then he grinned. "Um…heh…thanks Sasuke."

Sasuke shrugged. His cheeks were still pink with embarrassment. _Pull yourself together! You're an Uchiha remember!_ "Don't mention it."

_If you say so._ Naruto blinked as a sudden chill rushed over his body. _Wait a minute! We were so busy concentrating on_ me _that we forgot about—_

"MOVE!"

He lunged at Sasuke and tackled him, sending them both rolling across sand drifts just as Shukaku's remaining giant arm smashed down on their former spot. Naruto hissed as the ground applied pressure to his injuries. He sat up and glanced at Sasuke. "Do you have another plan or do you think we should ditch thinking?"

Sasuke shrugged as he slipped his bruised fingers into his weapon pouch for two senbon needles and a knife. He tossed them at Naruto. "You mean what _you_ always do?"

"Yeah, what I always—HEY! I do NOT!"

_**"Fuuton: Air Bullet!"** _

Two air bullets rocketed toward them. Naruto hit the ground chest-first again, but Sasuke leaped to his feet. The dark pools of his eyes slowly gained a tinge of scarlet. _"Katon: Phoenix Flower!"_

Several orange-and-red fireballs rose up out of nowhere and rocketed towards Shukaku who countered by flinging globs of sand back at them. _Shlup._ The sand swallowed the glowing flames, smothering them. The hanyou grinned. _**"That was pathetic."**_

_BANG!_

Suddenly the globs burst apart, scattering dirt and sand everywhere. The flames were gone, replaced by several spinning knives attached to smoking exploding tags. Sasuke flexed his fingers and the knives continued the journey, spearing themselves into the hanyou's exterior. Shukaku roared.

"Oh great! Now you got him pissed!" yelled Naruto as he got to his feet again.

"At least I'm doing something. I doubt I really hurt him anyway," Sasuke snapped, not taking his eyes off of Shukaku. The creature wiggled around, clawing at the knives. "I don't think the Shuryo would appreciate us killing his brother so—"

"You were actually going to consider _killing_ him? I knew you had issues teme, but I didn't think suicide was one of them."

Sharingan red eyes turned away from the angry hanyou to glower at him. "I was actually going to say that we should knock him out and hopefully it will force Gaara to wake up and take control of his body. If you have a better suggestion, feel free to elaborate."

_Oh._ Naruto frowned down at the senbon needles the Uchiha had given him. _With these?_ He figured they'd been dunked in sleeping solution strong enough to put a grown man out of commission for a few hours. The problem was he wasn't sure if the solution was strong enough to knock out a demon. _And we actually have to get past that sand armor…which I've done before._ He slipped the needles into his weapons pouch.

"Sasuke, I think I have an idea. Do you have any more of these needles for yourself?"

Sasuke frowned. _Why?_ "I have two more."

"All right. Be ready to use them when I say so." Naruto pressed his fingers together, focusing all of his energy into his center again. The burn in his stomach morphed, twirling in thin vapors as it traveled up along his chest and down his legs. _Weird. I wonder if that symbol appeared again._ For some reason, his injuries began to sting slightly as if they were being doused in ointment. _Maybe it's the pill working._ _"MULTIPLE KAGE BUNSHIN!"_

_POOF! BAMF!_

Once again, hundreds of clones appeared and dashed forward to subdue the hanyou. "That'll buy us some time." Naruto turned to the other warrior. "Okay, now we need to—what?"

Sasuke was staring at him in bafflement, his red-and-black irises wide with shock. "What?" he repeated nervously.

In response, Sasuke grabbed his arm and held it up to the level of his eyes. Naruto's mouth flopped open. Gliding along the moonlit skin where his cuts and bruises should have been was a thin trail of bright red light. Every time the light encountered an injury, it spread across it and sent a warm tingle through his nerves. The result left his skin healed and unblemished as if the fight had never occurred.

"What the hell is this?" _That…that ointment feeling…_

Sasuke snorted and dropped the arm. "Hn. I was hoping you could tell me. This isn't from the pill," he said. "But I guess this is one of those secrets you don't know about yourself. Like the fact Cassandra thinks you're a demon." He glanced at the pseudo-army of orange and black attacking Shukaku. _Speaking of demons._ "So what were you going to say?"

Naruto, his mind still on the healing red light, answered, "Uh yeah. I managed to break through his sand armor earlier using my clones and a few exploding tags after I dug underground. I don't know if it will work so easily this time so I took the liberty of providing us backup." He flicked his hand carelessly at the clones. "Now all we have to do is get close to him to knock him out once the armor's down. You could use those needles of yours or that Chidori thing again."

"Naruto…" Once again, Sasuke stared at him but this expression was akin to childlike awe. It was such a pleasant contrast to the frown he normally sported. "That's actually not a bad—"

_**"Fuuton: Sand Cloud Devastation!"** _

The boys whirled around just in time to see Shukaku spew an enormous amount of sand and wind from his mouth at the army of clones. Many of them flew through the air, vanishing into puffs of smoke. The others managed to anchor themselves to the ground even as the wind from the attack picked up.

But Shukaku was not done. He swung his paw through the air and another giant wave of white sand washed over the clones. _**"SAND TSUNAMI!"**_ The wave swelled and rolled over and over across the ground, speeding toward Naruto and Sasuke.

_"Doton: Earth Wall!"_ The warriors slammed their palms onto the ground. Sand and dirt flew up before curving into a compact half-dome over their heads. The sand wave crashed into it, breaking against the surface. Yet the earth wall held.

"That was close," Naruto panted. He tugged on Sasuke's arm in the darkness. "Are you okay?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pushed the blond's hand away. "Never mind," he said. "The idea was good but the execution was stupid."

"Hey, it's not _my_ fault."

Shukaku roared again. _**"SAND BURIAL!"**_

They groaned. _Now what's he up to?_

Suddenly the ground beneath their feet began to shake. Naruto peered through the lit cracks in the earth wall. The tanuki had slammed both paws down, tiny shockwaves emitting from them. The crests in the earth rolled up and smashed against the ground, crushing the buried Naruto clones.

"What's going on?" asked Sasuke.

Naruto gulped and moved away from the cracking wall. "Uuuh…we have another problem. He just wiped out the rest of my clones. I can make some more, but not in here." He pressed his hands against the ground. "We need to get out. It's not going to hold against Shukaku for much longer."

The other boy nodded and pressed his hands against the ground like Naruto. His fingers clenched around clods of dirt and sand. "Then we'll just try to get the surprise on him," he said. "Think you can keep up?"

Naruto grinned in the weak light. "You should check yourself first slowpoke," he teased.

Outside, Shukaku lowered his paws, his mouth grinning in satisfaction. The warm winds blew across the training grounds, disturbing the moonlit white sand. Off to the side, he could see Matsuri surrounded by her unconscious men. Useless, the lot of them.

The earth dome was the only thing that remained relatively intact after his attack. But it wouldn't stay that way for long. Shukaku moved toward the dome slowly, his claws itching to smash it to pieces.

The boys were quiet now. _Probably because they've realized there's nowhere to go,_ thought the hanyou gleefully.

In the recesses of his mind, Gaara's voice called out. _**"Stop! This is pointless! I want you to stop!"**_

_**"Oh c'mon! It's just gettin' good! 'Sides, you've been** _ **itching** _**to fight these two."** _

_**"Enough!"**_ Gaara was indignant. _**"I want my body back now, and I want you out!"**_

_**"I'm your subconscious; all the little crazy thoughts churning in your head. You can't get rid of me!"** _

Shukaku shook his head vigorously to rid his mind of its annoying host. Gaara's voice trailed off but not before uttering a resentful, _**"We will see about that."**_

He was right in front of the dome now. The boys were still very quiet in their self-made growled. Well he was going to rectify that right now. He lifted his remaining paw and swung it down in an arc. _WHAM!_ His paw smashed through the dome, sending clods of dirt and sand into the cold night air. He roared in delight.

From her position, Matsuri saw the strike. She covered her face with both hands. _Konoha City is going to have our heads for this!_

_C-CRACK!_

Naruto and Sasuke burst out of the ground behind the giant sand tanuki. "GOTCHA!" As Shukaku twisted his head around in shock, Naruto jammed his two senbon needles into the creature's back. Shukaku howled in rage.

_That…that sounded like Uzumaki-san and Uchiha-san!_ Matsuri slowly lowered her fingers in amazement. _They're alive?_

"Now Sasuke!"

Shukaku lashed out at the dark-haired boy with several globs of sand, but Sasuke was able to dodge around them with the help of the Sharingan. He planted both of his feet flat on the ground and stretched his left arm toward the creature, his fingers splayed out. _"CHIDORI NAGASHI!"_

Blue electricity illuminated his body and wrapped around his arms. Sasuke flexed the splayed fingers. An electrical discharge flowed from his left hand and struck the hanyou. The blue currents raced across his body, contracting his muscles and damaging his nerves.

_**"You little punk!"**_ Shukaku grimaced as he felt his body involuntarily go stiff. _**"T-trying to get me with the same trick again?"**_

Sasuke smirked. "Not quite. I just paralyzed you last time. This time…" He walked up to Shukaku and jammed his own needles into the hanyou's leg. Some of the electricity flowed toward that spot, securing it in place. "This time we're putting you to sleep."

Shukaku snarled and tried to lift his claws to scratch at the needles. The paralysis gripped him, locking him in place. _**"It'll take more than a few senbon needles to put**_ **me** _ **back to sleep!"**_

Inside his mind though, Gaara was chuckling. _**"Not bad Uchiha."**_

Naruto cupped his hands around his mouth. "WAKE UP GAARA! CAN YOU HEAR ME IN THERE? IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO WAKE UP!"

" _I_ can hear you just fine usuratonkachi so it's a pretty safe bethe can," said Sasuke, wincing. Suddenly he fell to his knees, pressing a hand against his stomach. "Shit."

Naruto spun around. "Sasuke?" The other boy's face had gone a peculiar shade of chalk-white. Naruto's gaze followed the hand, his eyes widening in horror at the sight of blood blossoming on Sasuke's tattered shirt. "Sasuke!"

"I guess I was hurt more than I thought."

"You guess?" Naruto snapped. He dropped down beside him. "You should have used that pill for yourself teme! Not me!"

"It's too late for that," said Sasuke. He tried to sit up, cringing as the sudden motion put more pressure on his wound. Naruto grabbed his shoulder to help keep him steady. "Forget about me. J-just concentrate on that demon. The sooner we get Gaara back to normal, the better."

"If _that_ was what you guys were trying to do, you've been doing a pretty crappy job."

Temari raced up to them accompanied by two slayers and a young mage. Behind her, Chosun and his own group of slayers ran off to help Matsuri, Yura, Otokaze, and Satetsu.

"What are you doing here?"

"Coming to the rescue obviously," Temari replied flatly. She knelt beside Sasuke and ripped off parts of his torn shirt to press over his bleeding wound. The mage knelt beside her and traced his fingers over the spot and along his bruises. Light spheres appeared beside him to float along the path his fingers created.

"H-how'd you know we were here?" Sasuke asked, grimacing as the pain quelled to a dull ache and the bleeding slowed to a steady trickle. The red and black swirls of the Sharingan vanished from his eyes.

Temari sighed. In the light of the moon and the spheres, her face appeared to be twisted into a bizarre combination of amusement and exasperation. "Let's just say news of your little escapade reached Kankuro. Why else do think we dispatched Matsuri and her group?"

"Oh." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh…I guess it wasn't a good idea to try to take him on alone."

Temari exhaled. "Now where did you get _that_ impression?"

The mage removed his fingers from Sasuke's injuries. "My hikari has taken away most of the pain, but I can't heel it fully," he said. "We need to get you to the hospital."

Sasuke struggled to get to his feet. "No."

Temari pushed him back down with surprising firmness. "Uchiha, don't be stubborn," she snapped. "You're in no condition to do anything right now. If you push yourself, you'll just rip open that wound. It'll be easier for us to handle him without having to worry about—."

"GUYS!" Chosun cried out. "LOOK OUT!"

From out of nowhere, a colossal ball of energy and light hurled toward the small group, picking up momentum as it traveled. Shukaku, even with the paralysis and the sleeping solution slowly working through his system, was laughing. However, the sand slipped from his face for a moment and familiar green eyes appeared to shine.

_**"Get away!"**_ Gaara yelled. His voice sounded like it was coming from far away.

Naruto scrambled to his feet. "What the hell is that?"

_"Shouheki!"_ The mage clapped his hands together once before holding them, fingers spread wide, in the air. A glowing orange shield appeared to form a temporary wall. _THWAM!_ The energy ball slammed against the shield, causing it to vibrate and crack. "I don't know if this is going to hold!"

_CRACK!_ No sooner had the words left his mouth, the shield collapsed under the strain of holding the energy ball back.

_Oh crap._

Naruto flung himself over Sasuke just as the sphere crashed through the broken shield. Red aura seeped into his skin, mixing with his blood. The heat returned and he could feel it envelop his body like a blanket. The spiral seemed to pulse as if someone had branded him with a red-hot iron. The aura grew hotter, spreading over his line of sight.

_What…what is this?_

* * *

Riaru was on her way to the bathroom when her body was suddenly consumed by intense heat. _What on earth?_ She frowned as the fire twirled around her abdomen and settled somewhere around her heart. _Kami-sama, it's that…that feeling again._

She rubbed her fingers against her temple. The heat climbed higher, seeping into her skin. Her heart began to pound, melding with the rhythm of her fingers and the throbbing sensation in her skull. The air around her felt dense and hot.

"I-Iruka-otou-san?" she called out hesitantly. But nobody answered. _I guess he's already asleep._

As she staggered toward the bathroom, she leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. The wall's surface felt cool and slippery against her skin. It offered a moment of relief from her headache.

_Just a little further and you can make it to the sink._

She slowly inched toward the bathroom door, feeling along the wooden panels for a light switch. Her eyes remained shut.

In her mind's eye, she could see a blurry image. She shook her head. The image sharpened and she could make out a young man with spiky blond hair. _What's going on?_ A crimson vapor surrounded him as he hurled himself over another young man with black hair. The crimson haze seemed to be spreading over him, protecting him from a sphere made of energy and light.

"Naruto?"

_Is he in trouble?_

The sphere slammed into the red aura, sending the boys rolling across the ground. The aura appeared to smolder before the sphere was hurled at the ground instead. Clods of earth and sand flew up from the force of the impact.

"Naruto!"

Riaru opened her eyes to find herself staring into the bathroom mirror. Her face beneath her green bangs was pale and sweaty, and she was trembling with agitation. The robe she'd thrown over her thin blue nightgown had slipped off her shoulders to the floor. Yet the heat surrounding her body seemed to have vanished along with her headache.

"What the hell was that?" She hesitantly placed her fingers over her heart. Under the gossamer texture of her nightgown, she could feel the remains of the fiery warmth.

"Naruto…what's going on over there? What are you doing?"

_And what does this mean for me?_

* * *

The strong surge of powerful aura nearly knocked Jin from his balcony. He gasped and gripped the stone railing as the aura rolled through him. It was stifling, nearly choking him in its essence. Only his own powerful energy as a yokai kept him standing upright.

Then the power surge was gone, leaving only a thin vapor behind as proof that it had been there. Jin let go of the balcony railing. He noticed, with some amusement, that its stone surface was covered in cracks where his grip had been.

_Well…that was interesting_ , he thought. _And strangely familiar._

"Are you okay?"

Jin whirled around, his robes and long black hair swaying in the night air. A young man stood a few feet away from him, dark brows furrowed in worry. He had the same ivory complexion as Jin and it seemed to glow in the moonlight. His long blue-tinted dark hair was tied back in a low ponytail and draped over wings of deeper blue.

But it was his eyes that were by far his most remarkable, if bizarre feature. One eye was the same saffron yellow as his father's and Orochimaru's. The other was a light blue-gray; the remnants of a spell to help him with his transformation issues. To Jin's disappointment, his son was still unable to transform.

"Dad?"

Jin allowed the tense muscles in his body to relax. "I'm fine Kazuki." He folded his arms over his chest and smirked at his son. "Did you come here to check on me?"

The young man shook his head. The worry had not left his eyes. "Uncle wanted me to tell you that he was going away for the next few days. I think he said something about overseeing what the humans in Konoha are up to."

Jin's smile vanished and a cold chill prickled at the back of his neck. He pushed his body away from the balcony railing and stalked past his son into the bedroom. "That fool," he breathed. When would his older brother learn that it was idiotic and suicidal to mingle with those humans? Weren't the ones Orochimaru saw in Oto and the Sound Country on a regular basis enough to satisfy him?

"I don't suppose he told you anything else about what he was going to do there."

Kazuki shrugged. "He said you shouldn't worry about him," he said. "He's not going to socialize with the humans. He's only going to observe them at a non-threatening distance."

_So he says,_ thought Jin. He stopped beside an elegant table swathed in blue and gold silk. He traced the designs in the cloth with pale fingers, trying to calm his disgruntled nature. _I suppose I can use his visit to my advantage. I can feel the effects of the seal from here, but it would be good to see what Minato's son looks like now. Just so I know what to look for when the time comes._

Jin turned toward his son. "In that case, I'll talk to him before he leaves. You should get to bed."

Kazuki frowned. "You don't want me to tell him your message for you?"

"No." Jin's voice was firm. "This doesn't concern you so you should get to bed." He ignored the flicker of hurt that passed over Kazuki's face. "Go on. You have another practice session with Amata in the morning. I'm not ready to give your transformation up as a lost cause yet."

_Though I_ am _starting to_ _leaning in that direction,_ he couldn't help thinking. _Most yokai gain the ability to transform at the age of thirteen. Six years have gone by and there's been no change in him aside from one eye permanently changing a different color. It's embarrassing._

The hurt expression left Kazuki, replaced by one of sullenness. "Okay." He turned and walked away.

Jin exhaled and removed his hand from the tablecloth. Idly, he thought about the strange rush of power earlier on the balcony.

_I wonder if something has affected the seal after all._

* * *

Naruto could barely make out Chosun in the darkness rushing toward the injured members of Temari's team, and a light shower of earth, rocks, and sand. But all he cared about was getting as far away from Shukaku as possible.

They finally skidded to a stop beside a pile of wooden dummies used for swords practice. _How the hell did the fight take us right into the training grounds?_ Naruto wondered. The red aura slowly faded away. His ragged shirt was now completely torn at the back, but the aura seemed to have protected him from the bruises and scrapes he would have gotten.

He gingerly lifted himself off of the Uchiha's body. "Are you okay Sasuke?"

"It depends," the other boy answered. He propped himself up on his arms—and groaned. _Damn it._ "So much…for not ripping open the wound." The makeshift bandage that Temari had placed on his stomach was stained with fresh blood. "What the hell was that?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. He shouldn't be able to move. He was probably saving that attack on purpose."

"Not _that_ dobe," Sasuke muttered. "I meant what _you_ did. I could see your aura around you."

_"Aura is normally invisible to the naked eye; it just pours from your chakra gates in the body."_ Cassandra's voice echoed in Naruto's head. _"But with proper training, aura can be seen by the person harnessing it, and it is exercised to build up magical power and release enchantment. But only by the person harnessing it."_

Sasuke flicked his finger at the blond's cheek. "Not to mention, your scars have changed."

_My scars?_ Naruto brought his fingers to his face. His skin felt hot and sweaty. The scars felt the same, but they were wider and thicker. _So…what is this power that I have?_

_"You have her scars_ and _her eyes. Shape and everything. I'm not sure if you're what Gaara says you are, but I am now sure you're at least yokai."_

_What if…what if she's right? But I can't be a demon! 'Cause if I was…_ Naruto stared down at Sasuke. The raven-haired boy was coughing and clutching his stomach with both hands. His fingertips came away from the bandage, stained with dark red blood. _If I was…maybe I can save you._

"Sasuke…you need to get out of here."

Sasuke glanced up at him sharply. _Is he crazy?_ "I'm not going anywhere."

Naruto sighed. "I'm _serious_ teme. No offense, but you're not going to be a lot of help with that injury."

"I'm _not_ going anywhere," Sasuke repeated, lifting his gaze to meet Naruto. There was an odd mix of fierce defiance and worry in his eyes. Naruto flinched, half from the burning sensation swooping through his body and half from the emotion displayed in those normally impassive depths. "This whole thing was my fault. I'm not leaving you here."

Naruto reached over and touched a bruise on the boy's lips. The skin had swelled, but was still soft. _What am I doing?_ They rarely used such intimate gestures with each other. Usually Naruto would be happy to be the cause of that bruised lip.

Sasuke recoiled and tried to bat Naruto's hand away. _What are you doing dobe?_ To his relief, Naruto released his lip, only to grab his shoulder.

"Don't worry about me okay? I don't know what I did back there, but whatever it was, it kept you and me safe from him. Maybe it'll work again just for me." He squeezed Sasuke's shoulder. "So get the hell out of here. I'll make sure Gaara wakes up. He's probably on his last legs anyway."

He moved to let go of Sasuke's shoulder, but Sasuke clamped his hand around his wrist. "Tch. I'm not worried about you. I'm worried that you'll screw up. I am _not_ going to be the one to explain to Iruka-sensei and Riaru why you came back home in a body bag." But in the moonlight, his ebony eyes seemed to glisten and Naruto noted that the pale fingers clasped around his wrist were trembling.

His blue eyes softened. "Hey," he whispered. "I'll be okay." He tried to smile reassuringly. "I mean…these powers of mine come and go but…I'll be fine."

Sasuke sighed and slipped his thin fingers away from Naruto's wrist. Naruto felt an odd twinge in his heart at the loss of his rival's hand. He swallowed nervously. Damn, what was with him all of sudden?

"I'm gonna hold you to that…Naruto."

_**"How…cute. You've become friends."**_ Shukaku spoke up. Naruto turned away from his injured rival. The hanyou seemed to be no longer paralyzed from the Chidori Nagashi, although he moved sluggishly as if he were wading through water. He heaved in shallow exhausted breaths. _**"You can…die together then."**_

"Get ready to move," Naruto whispered to Sasuke. He shut his eyes tightly. He could see and feel the red aura pulsing to life once again. In his mind, he found himself molding it around his body as a protective cloak. The seal…there seemed to be more power concentrated around the middle of the spiral. It seemed to form some sort of lock. He felt himself reaching out to it.

"Don't move!"

The harsh command jerked Naruto out of his reverie. He opened his eyes.

_"Hikariton: Kekkai Guardian!"_

A clear oval-shaped barrier surrounded the boys just as another dark energy ball nearly crashed into them. The barrier hissed and fizzled, absorbing the energy ball onto its transparent surface.

Stunned, Naruto and Sasuke looked up to see a familiar young sage standing before them and holding the barrier in place.

"Cassandra!"

The girl didn't turn around, but she inclined her head to show she heard them. "Thanks for wearing him out guys. It should make things easier."

Naruto and Sasuke frowned. _Make what easier?_

Shukaku chuckled at the sight of his new opponent. _**"Hey, I remember that face. What brings you here? The ass-kicking I gave ya last time not enough for you?"**_

The temperature surrounding Cassandra's body appeared to decrease as she walked out of the clear barrier. "You need to get your head examined," she said angrily. She lifted her right hand and the night air twirled around her. "I clearly remember we _both_ got knocked out. Now if you don't mind, I want my friend back."

Shukaku laughed again. _**"Oh really? I'd like—"**_

_"Fuuton!"_

_THWAM!_

A powerful blast of wind slammed into his torso and knocked him off of his feet. Cassandra lowered her hand, her invisible aura pulsing around her in small waves. "I suggest you shut your mouth. I don't have a lot of time."

The monster's grin faltered before morphing into a snarl. _**"Fuuton: Air Bullet!"**_

Cassandra warped away from the spot in a swirl of wind and sand, reappearing behind Shukaku. He tried to twist his body around, lashing out with a giant wave of sand. _"Hyoton: Kekkai!"_ A shield of ice flew up in front of her. The sand wave smashed against it, causing it to vibrate and crack. Cassandra cried out as her body slammed into a nearby rock.

"Cassandra!" Naruto yelled.

_Cassandra!_ Sasuke bolted upright, fighting back a pained cry as the movement nearly opened more of his wound. But he couldn't bring himself to care. _Damn it, if she's hurt because of me…_ "Leave her alone!"

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arms to support him before he fell backward again. He couldn't help staring at the boy though. Sasuke had revealed many surprises about himself tonight. Yet the vehement tone in his voice Shukaku hurting Cassandra seemed about as effortless as the angered emotion he'd displayed toward his brother all those nights ago.

_I guess he cares about her after all._

To the boys' mutual relief, the girl sat up albeit very stiffly. Her arms were covered in scrapes and bruises, and a bleeding gash ran up the side of her forehead before disappearing into her hairline. Yet she seemed to ignore it all as her indigo irises remained fixed on the hanyou.

_"Suiton: Ripping Torrent!"_

Cassandra held one hand out, palm facing upward. She twirled the fingers of her other hand over it in a circular motion. A sphere of water materialized around Shukaku, swirling faster and faster in response to the movement of her fingers. The sphere climbed up and over the hanyou, trapping him a swirling mass of water.

_"Hyoton: Blizzard!"_

The night air surrounding the group suddenly grew frigid. Naruto shivered as icy wind phased through the clear barrier and past him and Sasuke. Cassandra flexed her fingers. _"Freeze!"_ The wind and ice whipped around the sphere, causing it to frost over until it resembled a giant glacier. Only Shukaku's head was still visible.

Cassandra sighed and got to her feet, brushing away the sand clinging to her clothes and hair. "This better work Lady Chiyo," she muttered as she walked up to the angry struggling demon. She raised one finger, tracing a pattern of symbols through the air. Her aura undulated and followed the pattern. "Lights out Gaara."

She pressed one hand against the hanyou's forehead, chanting a spell under her breath. Shukaku suddenly quieted, eyes sliding shut as rays of golden light looped around him in arcs like chains. The light wrapped around Cassandra's form, illuminating her hair and face in the darkness. The light grew brighter; changing from gold to white as the chanting continued. A strange symbol appeared on Shukaku's stomach: a spiral formed from several teardrop-shaped curls.

"What is she doing?" Naruto whispered. Once again, he felt the pull of the invisible wind he now knew was the Mikomi's family trait. His own body seemed to be calling to the strange words and aura the sage was emitting. If it weren't for Sasuke gripping his arm, he would have got up to go to her.

Sasuke shook his head, as mystified by his housemate's behavior as the blond. Contrary to what the students at the academy may have thought, he wasn't exactly privy to all of Cassandra's enchantments. _Is this part of her clan's ability…or someone else's?_

When the light vanished, Shukaku's monstrous form was no longer there. Instead, Gaara lay asleep inside the ice sphere. Cassandra waved her hand and the sphere disintegrated, allowing him to drift gently to the ground. The clear barrier around Naruto and Sasuke also vanished.

_It's over._ Naruto shifted onto his knees. He sent Sasuke a relieved smile. _We finally got him back to normal._ He almost felt like laughing.

Sasuke gazed back before the corner of his mouth curled up just slightly. Damn the Uzumaki's smile must be contagious or something.

Cassandra let out a sigh of relief, her trembling hands grasping at the front of her shirt. She slumped forward in exhaustion. "Ugh."

Naruto tore his gaze away from the other teen to settle on her. He jumped to his feet. _Oh crap._ "Cassandra, are you—?"

She shook her head warningly even as she began sway back and forth. "Guys…" Her eyelids fluttered. "You're l-lucky I drained all of my energy using that seal."

A look of horror suddenly crossed Sasuke's face. "Cassandra?"

An exhausted glower peeped out from beneath the girl's dark lashes. "B-because I'm too tired to kick your asses now."

"Cassandra!"

Naruto barely had time to catch her when she keeled over.

**To Be Continued….**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other stuff):
> 
> Hanyou: means "half-demon, half-human." In this 'verse, half-demon, half-humans carry some abilities unique to their demonic side. They also possess more energy and physical strength than average humans. However, their demonic abilities are often less stable, and weaker than a full demon. They also do not have wings.
> 
> A half-yokai has one physical feature that sets him/her apart from a normal human, similar to true yokai. However, he/she can only control a partial transformation of his/her body into a host animal. The half-yokai may unlock a form that resembles a full transformation, but it is actually a manifestation of the more unstable yokai power and is only temporary.
> 
> A half-ophan is identical to normal humans in appearance. Like a true ophan, he/she has accelerated healing, a strong aptitude for magic, and is able to see and hear things that normal humans cannot. However, he/she lacks the special gift an individual ophan can possess.
> 
> Tanuki: a species of raccoon dog native to Japan. It is an important part of Japanese folklore, often seen as mischievous and fond of disguising itself via shape-shifting.
> 
> In the manga/anime, Shukaku is the name of Gaara's tailed beast and it resembles a tanuki. Here, Shukaku is the manifestation of Gaara's uncontrollable yokai power (at least until a seal has been attached).
> 
> Chabudai: a short-legged table used in traditional Japanese homes. It is often used as a study table or a dinner table for the family. People usually use tatami mats or zabuton (cushions) to sit around a chabudai.
> 
> Shouheki: means "Hindering Wall." This allows a user to form a temporary energy shield to block attacks. It is the most basic barrier taught to mages and clerics, although warriors can learn it as well.
> 
> Hikariton: Kekkai Guardian: means "Release Light! Barrier Guardian!" This technique creates a transparent oval-shaped barrier around whoever the user chooses and absorbs most attacks. The barrier can expand or shrink at the user's command. It is one of the strongest barriers capable of being wielded by a single person behind the Reflecting Shield, Doton: Teppeki (Release Earth: Iron Wall), the Shukuchi Barrier, and Katon: Shishi Shouheki.
> 
> Once again, thank you all so much for reading in spite of my hang-ups and irregular updates. ^^ Hopefully the next chapter won't take me nearly as long to finish (especially since I finally have some time to breathe lately).


	10. Could We Start Again?

" _We're all a bunch of crazy jigsaw pieces tumbling against each other and every once in a while, the contour of one person's insanity gets snared in another's. With a little luck, and a lot of force, two psychos can get pretty well tangled. That's called 'compatibility,'"_ —Dan Harmon

**Two days later…**

When someone knocked at the door to his office, Jiraiya normally expected a student seeking answers to stupid questions. The student would ask him the question, get his response, and leave. So he opened the door without taking his nose out of the notes he jotted down about the female form's more…generous assets.

He was really shocked when this particular student yanked his notes right out of his hands, rolled them up, and proceeded to smack him over the head with them. "Ow! OW! What the hell?" He raised his arms to shield his face. "Geez, what did I do?"

There was a huff followed by a snort. Then a familiar voice snapped, "I think the better question would be 'what _didn't_ I do' baka."

Jiraiya grimaced and lowered his arms. A deceptively beautiful blonde scowled up at him. _Oh great. It's her._ "What do you want you old hag?" he demanded, meeting her scowl with one of his own.

Tsunade bristled. "I won't harass you for sending Kakashi in your place up to the sanctuary last week, _or_ for what you just said if you tell me what I want to know."

"Can I have my notes back too?" Jiraiya asked hopefully.

" _Maybe_." Tsunade jabbed her finger at his chest. "You work for the Konoha elders don't you?"

He shrugged. "I sit in on their meetings whenever old man Sarutobi asks me to." Seeing that she wasn't going to give him back his notes, he strolled back to his desk and hoisted his stocky frame on the plain wooden top. Konoha Academy had offered him nicer facilities due to his position as a Myrmidon teacher, but he'd refused. He was hardly ever in this room anyway. "Why? Is there someone you want me to spy on?"

Tsunade stepped further into the room, arms crossed tightly over the full chest her gray tunic was having trouble concealing. Jiraiya couldn't help his gaze from wandering southward. She huffed. "I want to know more about what the elders want out of my people."

At this, Jiraiya sighed and stopped swinging his legs against the desk like a child. He should have figured this was not going to be a pleasant conversation. As Konoha's liaison, he was heralded as one of the only humans to maintain steady contact with the ophanin. Sarutobi had suggested the idea to the Elders a few years after the tragic battle, and they'd agreed. Danzo, in particular, had cast his vote on the grounds that the position would keep Jiraiya tied to the city and away from wandering around the world.

_They always wanna ruin my fun._

"You don't have to tell me if you're going to get in trouble," said the ophan. She didn't want to admit it, but the troubled appearance the Myrmidon Master was now sporting unnerved her.

Jiraiya shrugged, using one geta-covered foot to push the chair in front of the desk toward her. "Sit down." While she complied, he snuck a glance at the wooden door. _Good. It's locked._

"The Elders, like the Shuryo and the clan heads, are dedicated to the survival and safety of the city. They place Konoha as the highest importance and will do anything to make sure it maintains that level." He grimaced as if remembering something ugly."The Shuryo always has the final say, but they still exert a lot of influence over Konoha's governing. Usually they act as Sarutobi's advisors even though they're stricter on how they want to run the place."

"So by allying themselves with us, the clan heads aren't seen as playing by the Elders' rules," Tsunade commented. She crossed her legs, tapping the back of a heel against the chair's leg. "So what do they want from me?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "Personally, I don't think they would want anything to do with you if they had the choice. They don't trust your kind so you'll have to do a bit of groveling—" here Tsunade snorted, "—and negotiating to sway them to your side. If Hatori's coming with you to meet them, you might want to warn him to keep his mouth shut."

 _I know he'll end up overreacting to some of the things they'll talk about,_ especially _if they involve Naruto._

"If I can. No guarantees there." Tsunade unfolded the notes and scanned the first lewd scribbled sentences. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. _I can't believe people actually read this crap._

"Can I get back to work now?" Jiraiya whined. He gazed longingly at the papers in her hand. "I have a meeting at the hot springs in an hour and I'm already behind schedule."

"Uh huh." Tsunade didn't budge from her seat. "Just one more thing. Kakashi said that Shimura Danzo has the Elders' support and some of the Anbu bodyguards backing him." The man nodded. "How much power does the guy _actually_ have?"

Jiraiya lowered his eyes to his callused palms, mulling over a response. Tsunade stared at him. _It must be a lot…maybe even enough to match old Sarutobi._ "Well?" she prodded.

"Kakashi's right about him having a lot of influence over the Elders," he finally replied. "I think they know he's an extremist, but they feel he's the only one who truly knows how to handle this city. Mind you, he wasn't happy when they still chose Sarutobi as Shuryo over him." He chuckled and looked up to meet her brown eyes. "As for the Anbu…he used to control a select faction called 'Root'. They played a big role in protecting the city from the yokai years ago which won them respect in the eyes of the people. Danzo never trusted _you_ guys to do the job properly."

The ophan arched a fine brow. The notes clutched in her hand crinkled.

"Hey hey, I'm not defending his actions. I'm only saying you ophanin were too busy holding your grudge matches with the yokai to focus on the rest of the world. He had a legitimate reason to be wary."

Tsunade sighed and ceased crushing Jiraiya's notes much to his relief. "I suppose you're right. We expected Jin to blow up at us as usual, not anyone down here." She shook her head so her blonde bangs hid her disgruntled expression. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"No I guess not," Jiraiya agreed with a laugh. "But I think you ought to keep that in mind if you meet him after next week."

"I'm looking forward to it," Tsunade muttered dryly.

* * *

"I'm telling you for the last time: I'm _fine_."

"And _I'm_ telling _you_ that you need to stay put!" the sage insisted to an impatient Naruto. She shoved him, none too gently, back onto the sterile white bed. "For Kami's sake, just because you are guests of the Shuryo doesn't mean you know what's best when it comes to healing!"

_Oh come on!_

Ever since the unfortunate rendezvous with Gaara, he had laid on a narrow hospital bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. He was aware that Sasuke had been placed in the same room, but was unable to figure out where the others were. Occasionally, he could make out voices chatting in the background. Sometimes he thought he could hear Chosun and Kankuro arguing, and one time he swore he heard an old woman laughing. Then a sage would come by and force him to drink some potion to send him back to dreamless sleep again.

At one lucid moment, he remembered seeing an old woman staring at him. Her fingers pinched his whiskered cheeks and she muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "seal." She started laughing. Then he fell asleep and woke up wondering if he'd imagined it all.

When he finally woke up for good a few hours ago, someone had bandaged his wounds and replaced his ragged clothes with a baggy, plain gray shirt and cotton pants. Idly, he wondered if the hospital's sages or his own powers had been responsible for his wounds vanishing beneath the bandages. The fact that there appeared to be no scars on his skin was suspicious.

Unfortunately Nae, the sage on duty, wasn't convinced that Naruto's injuries had healed, and had insisted on keeping him confined until _she_ was certain he was ready to leave.

"You're a healer aren't you?" he asked her. "Can't you tell that I'm perfectly fine?"

"What I can tell is that you are in no shape to be up and about. You could rip open your injuries if you keep moving around," said the young woman briskly. She bustled around Naruto's bed, retrieving a pillow he'd tossed to the floor beside two chairs. She stuffed the pillow behind his back. "Don't make me tie you to the bed Uzumaki-san."

Naruto bit back the urge to respond with something that would sound inappropriate. It probably wouldn't get him out of the room any faster.

On the bed next to his, Sasuke stirred and opened his eyes. He groaned and palmed his face with one hand. "Dobe, do you have to be so loud?"

Grateful for the distraction, Naruto rolled onto his side away from the bossy woman and toward his rival. "Hey sleepyhead." He reached out to touch Sasuke's bandaged arm. In the bright light streaming from the window, the other teen appeared paler than ever. "How are you feeling?"

Sasuke wrinkled his brow in confusion. Since when was the other boy so friendly? "All right," he replied and rolled onto his side gingerly so he could look at Naruto eye to eye. The sheets under his body crumbled. "And since you're making such a racket, I guess you're healed."

"Heh." Naruto grinned. "Not according to _her_." He tilted his head in Nae's direction. She was now setting a clay water pitcher on the low table between their beds. She blushed when her arm brushed against Sasuke's side. "You heard right? She wants to tie me up to keep me here."

Sasuke snorted and glanced at the sage. She was staring at him, the small blush not leaving her cheeks. _Oh great._ Well if Naruto felt like being friendly, he might as well oblige him. _Just to get her out of the room._

"I had no idea she was so kinky. Maybe she has a crush on you. She didn't offer to do that to _me_."

Naruto burst out laughing at the scandalized look on Nae's face. Her face flushed bright red. "Ugh you…fine. You obviously don't want to take this seriously, so I'm leaving!" She turned around and stomped out of the room, nearly running into Cassandra on her way out. The pitcher wobbled and fell off the table with a _crash!  
_  
Cassandra raised her eyebrows at the broken pieces of clay and the water spreading in a dark patch across the floor. "I am _not_ picking that up."

Naruto stopped laughing. "Uh hi." He pulled his hand away from Sasuke's arm and lifted it in greeting. "How are you feeling?"

The girl shrugged and walked carefully over to the beds. "I've felt worse." She was wearing a loose cotton dress that fell to her knees, but her feet were bare. The gash along the side of her forehead was gone. Only a faded scar and her stiff movements served as a reminder of the earlier battle. She gestured at the open door. "What the hell was all that about?"

"Oh that? That was Sasuke's fault."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You were the one that got her annoyed in the first place." He sat up, resting his upper body on the back of his hands. His dark bangs fluttered messily around his face.

"But you sent her out of the room," Naruto pointed out. He got up off the bed and poked the dark-haired boy's shoulder with his finger. "Admit it. You didn't want her hovering over you either."

"Hn."

Naruto poked Sasuke again. "Is that supposed to be a 'yes'? I can't tell. It's a 'yes' isn't it?"

"Hn." Sasuke sighed and pushed away the poking finger. _Don't touch me so freely usuratonkachi._ "Whatever you want it to mean."

"So I take it you two are feeling much better then?" Cassandra asked them. She was now standing beside Sasuke's bed, her expression pensive.

_They seem to be getting along better than usual._

Naruto shot the sage a wide grin. "Yeah. I'm as good as new though you wouldn't know that asking that nurse."

Sasuke rubbed his abdomen and shoulder. Unlike Naruto, his wounds were healed but still tender to touch. He shrugged. "I guess."

Cassandra nodded slowly. "Good." Then— _THWACK! THWACK!_ –she punched Naruto, then Sasuke, across the face.

Pillows and sheets flew everywhere as they were flung backwards onto Sasuke's bed. The bed skidded back before crashing into the wall.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Naruto yelped. He bolted upright, bringing a hand to his cheek. Already, it was swelling and throbbing in pain. _What the hell kind of magic did she put in that punch? She's not normally that strong!_ "What was that fo—?"

"Shut up Uzumaki unless you want another one," the sage snapped. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, her blue eyes resembling twin icicles. "I'll get to the point: what you did was completely idiotic!" She jabbed her right finger against Naruto's tan shoulder. "You should have listened to Temari and got back to the inn. I know it wasn't your idea to challenge Gaara, but you shouldn't have provoked him further by actually fighting. You only got him more excited by openly challenging him."

Naruto frowned. "I had to. He hurt Sasuke." He ignored the startled look sent his way by the other warrior next to him. "I'm sorry, but I wasn't gonna leave him or Matsuri's group behind."

"Then you should have all run away to get help as soon as Sasuke was with you. You shouldn't have stayed to fight."

Naruto's frown deepened. _If she thinks I'm just gonna sit here and take this…_ "What kind of person do you think I am Cassandra? I don't give up. If I had a chance to stop him, then I would do anything. You want me to be a coward and run?"

"If it keeps you alive, then yes," replied the older girl. "How do you expect to be a slayer if you can't follow basic orders?" However, her eyes held a tinge of admiration as she turned away from the blond and faced her housemate.

"As for _you_ Sasuke," she went on scathingly. "For a top student and a genius, you sure are stupid. What possessed you into thinking you could fight Gaara during one of his mood swings?"

Sasuke scowled and rubbed at the spot where she'd decked him. A purple bruise was beginning to blossom on the pale skin beneath his left eye. "He was the one who wanted to fight me," he muttered.

Cassandra shook her head. "That's no excuse. You didn't have to accept his challenge. You put both you andNaruto in danger."

"So you wanted me to back down?" Sasuke's eyes flashed and the black irises carried a tinge of red, but not enough to complete the Sharingan. He sat up straight, fisting his hands around the remaining blankets on the bed. "You want me to be a coward as Naruto said?"

Naruto blinked, suddenly aware of the frigid atmosphere between the housemates. And it had nothing to do with Cassandra's usual brand of _hyo_ magic. "Uh…h-hey teme." He tapped Sasuke on the shoulder. "Leave me out of this."

The pair ignored him. "Refusing to fight someone is not cowardly. Actually, it would've made you the bigger man considering Gaara was so adamant on provoking you," Cassandra pointed out. "But you and your damn Uchiha pride. You just couldn't let an excuse to show off go huh?"

Sasuke's glare intensified and Naruto wished he wasn't there in the room. _Either that or still unconscious. Whatever's easier._ He felt like an outsider, looking in on the argument through a window.

"Tch. You're a moron if you think I'd stoop to that level."

"DAMN IT SASUKE!" Ignoring her stiff movements, Cassandra reached over and grabbed the Uchiha by the front of his thin gray shirt. She yanked Sasuke forward until his face was inches away from hers. Naruto yelped and scrambled to the other side of the bed, out of the way. "Stop being so stubborn! You could have died! Did you ever think of that? You just…you think you can just _do_ these crazy things and expect me to gloss over them? If that's the case, then I think _you're_ the moron!"

Naruto cringed. Of all the girls that he had seen hanging around Sasuke, none of them had ever been allowed in his personal space for long unless they wanted to be on the receiving end of a death glare. And they certainly never dared think of insulting him. Either Cassandra had recently been given a free pass on both, or she just didn't care about risking the Uchiha's wrath.

What was even weirder was that Sasuke seemed to be letting her speak to him in such a way…and it almost made him jealous.

 _Then again, she_ is _technically his sister-in-law._

Sasuke reached up to yank Cassandra's hands away from his shirt. However, his fingers lifted to push aside her long hair to graze roughly against her scar. She flinched. "Oh and what about you?" he retorted. "What about that crazy stunt you pulled? Did you ever think about what might have happened to you? What you did was just as reckless you hypocrite."

_She had to resort to that…because of me. She got hurt because of me._

Sasuke fought back the urge to curse at the thoughts running through his mind. Like hell he was going to admit to feeling guilty. "I'm not some little weakling who needs protection," he grumbled. "I don't need your help Cassandra."

"Of course, because you were doing such a great job defending yourself," the girl replied sarcastically. "If it weren't for Naruto, you'd be in worse shape than you are now. Then say 'goodbye' to those goals of yours." Naruto opened his mouth, but Cassandra held up her hand to shush him. He shut it with a _click_. "I admit what I did was crazy. But it was the only thing that was bound to work. I thought maybe this would finally help Gaara with his problem." Her withering glare sharpened. "So I didn't do that spell just to protect you and Naruto. I did it for Gaara too. But if you're acting like it's a crime for me to give a damn about you, then maybe I shouldn't bother!"

Sasuke pulled away from the girl and collided with the bed, hissing as his leg banged against its wooden frame. "Maybe you shouldn't!" he shot back, failing to keep the fury out of his voice. "I don't even understand why you bother! Just because I told you about what happened with…" He suddenly clamped his mouth shut, angry at himself for nearly losing control. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Damn it! Pull yourself together!_ _Emotions only make you weak. I can't afford to be weak. Not like how I was when Itachi killed them._

Once he was sure his feelings were back under control, he opened his eyes. "Whatever. I never asked you to waste those kinds of feelings on me," he hissed. "Haven't you realized that I have no use for them?"

Naruto gawked at his usually stoic rival. Sasuke had actually raised his voice outside of battle or arguments with him. Sasuke had spoken with inflection. _Sasuke…_ Naruto caught sight of the barely concealed pain and grief shimmering in the boy's obsidian eyes. _Just like that time in the graveyard._ For a fleeting moment, Sasuke had allowed his mask to fall. Sasuke had _feelings_.

Meanwhile, the glare on Cassandra's face had softened to a tired frown. "Baka," she whispered. She reached over and covered one of Sasuke's clenched fists with her hand. Her slender fingers ran along the back of his knuckles as if attempting to soothe a skittish cat. Sasuke twitched in response, but didn't pull away. "You never had to ask. And I know you don't want anyone to care about you. But it doesn't really matter to me. Because I—"

"Oh good you're both up!"

 _Oh Kami-sama_. Naruto could have kissed all the people crowding at the door as thanks, and he felt that if Sasuke had chosen to act even more out of character, he would have done the same. _It was getting waaaaay too awkward in here._

Kankuro and Chosun were standing in the doorway to the room, relieved smiles on their faces. Behind them were Temari and Gaara. Temari had a fading purple bruise on her cheek and her arm was in a sling. Gaara had several bandages wrapped around his arms and one tied around his head. However, what other scrapes and bruises he'd acquired during the battle were nearly gone. He had also, surprisingly, left his gourd behind.

Cassandra sighed and straightened up. "Sorry I went ahead before you all," she said to the group. "I just wanted to be the first to check on them."

"Maa it's fine," said Kankuro. He strolled into the room, flanked by the other slayers. Gaara hung back, unsure if he wanted to confront the two people he'd involved in his power struggle.

"How are Matsuri and those hunters that were with her?" Naruto asked Temari. "And the people in your group? Are they okay?"

"They're a little banged up, no worse than you and Uchiha," the blonde woman answered. "Satetsu and Reki haven't woken up yet, but we've got our best mages on the job. Matsuri and the others are staying with them." She pointed at the joint fresh bruises both slayers sported. "Speaking of injuries, what happened here?"

"Uuuh…" Naruto grinned foolishly. "Well y'see…it's—"

" _That_ was the result of me checking on them," Cassandra interrupted. She laughed at the strange looks sent her way. "Hey, I had to get it out of my system early. You guys probably would have stopped me."

"Somehow I doubt it," Gaara spoke up. He slowly moved away from his place near the door and over to the two warriors. Naruto continued to smile, but the smile appeared hesitant and strained. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. _Oh wonderful._ "About what happened yesterday…I'm sorry I put you through that ordeal. I guess you could tell I…I wasn't exactly myself." Gaara's fingers curled into fists, digging into his palms. "But that's no excuse. I put you and the rest of the village at risk. I'm sorry."

His siblings frowned. "It wasn't your fault Gaara," said Kankuro. He placed a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "You weren't really in control. Matsuri and the others know that too."

Naruto nodded. "Technically it was Sasuke's fault."

"Dobe!"

"What? You admitted it to me!" Naruto mimicked Sasuke's voice, exaggerating its deadpan tone. "'This whole thing was my fault. I'm not leaving you here.' Does that sound familiar?"

Sasuke couldn't bring himself to argue with that one. Instead he kept his gaze on Gaara to avoid seeing the disapproving frown Cassandra was no doubt sending him.

Gaara shook his head. "No, that's not entirely true," he said. "Sasuke wouldn't have done anything if I hadn't provoked him into it. He tried to stop me and escape, but I wouldn't let him go. I'm sorry for that too." Despite the usual impassive tone in his voice, his pale green eyes flickered with genuine remorse.

"Hn. Whatever." Sasuke crossed his arms. "It doesn't matter. You lost control. It wasn't entirely your fault and we didn't really do anything except stall you in the end." His eyes darted briefly over to where his housemate was standing. "Why did you want to fight me anyway?"

The redhead hesitated under that piercing dark gaze. "I'm not sure if I can explain it well. I'm half-yokai which means that I'm not able to fully control my demonic powers. They wax and wane depending on the moon or my mood. Sometimes I'm able to suppress them, and other times I'll fall asleep and some _other_ part of me takes over. I become nothing more than a bloodthirsty monster."

"Shukaku," Cassandra hissed.

Gaara nodded. "Shukaku is the manifestation of my repressed yokai power and tainted thoughts. It isn't exactly a separate personality and for that, I hate it. Sometimes I don't know if all that aggression is what I really feel or if it's just my powers messing with me. I've tried to hold my powers back, but it's made for a lot of sleepless nights. And as you can see, it's not enough."

He took a deep breath. "I tend to be...drawn to power. My yokai side enjoys the challenge of beating a worthy opponent, and when I _sense_ one, it becomes stronger and takes over. That's why I wanted to fight you and Naruto. I thought you were someone powerful. I…I tried to stop but I couldn't help myself."

 _Someone powerful huh?_ Naruto didn't know whether to feel flattered or confused. He glanced at his rival. _The bastard's probably feeling smug._

But if Sasuke was feeling anything at all, he didn't show it. He only continued to gaze at the red-haired hanyou with mild interest.

 _Someone powerful_. Chosun shut his eyes. "Just like last time."

His callused fingers drifted unconsciously up to the large scar marring his face. He hadn't understood Gaara's situation at the time. Hell, he still hadn't understood until yesterday. _I just thought it was normal for you to be so violent. I thought you enjoyed attacking people and showing off how powerful you were compared to them. That's why…two years ago I…_

"Uh Chosun? Hey!"

Chosun opened his eyes. The others were staring at him, including Gaara and Sasuke. Temari was waving a hand in front of his face and snapping her fingers. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I-I'm fine." He noticed his fingers were digging into his scar and immediately yanked them away. Temari winced at the sight of the jagged crescent shape imprinted onto his skin. "I was just thinking about something." He shook his head. "It's not important."

"Are you sure?" Cassandra asked. "You were muttering to yourself."

"I-I was?" Chosun paled. "Sorry. It was just…rescuing you two…" He addressed Naruto and Sasuke. "I remembered the last time something this serious happened..." He trailed off and shut his eyes.

Naruto's jaw dropped as the pieces fell together. "Wait…so _that's_ where you got that scar?" He shuddered, remembering Shukaku's violence. _Gaara gave it to him? Yech, I don't think I wanna know._

But his imagination couldn't help running wild. What kind of attack did the hanyou use on him? How painful had it been? Was the scar the real reason Chosun had stayed away from Konoha for so long?

_Suna missions could only account for so much. Did it hurt too much…or was it too humiliating?_

The silver-haired man traced the jagged crescent shape gently. He nodded. "Two years ago I came home from Konoha after passing my slayer exam. There was a full moon that night. I heard the rumors about what Gaara could do and I wanted to see it for myself. Yes, it was stupid. No, I wasn't thinking. Not really." He licked his suddenly dry lips and continued, "I guess I thought whatever I encountered during my exam would be enough to stand up to Gaara. I was wrong."

Sasuke eyed Chosun's scar. Unlike the others, he hadn't really noticed it. Nor did he really care. They had basically been in the same position after all. The only difference was the interference by Naruto and Cassandra.

Comprehension dawned on Gaara's face. "I remember what happened. You…you weren't afraid of me then," he said. "If anything, you were pretty aggressive when you challenged me."

Cassandra raised her eyebrows. _I never heard that story._ She shot a fleeting look at Temari and Kankuro who did not seem surprised at Chosun's words. _Huh. So the reason Chosun was so freaked out by Gaara was because he actually confronted him during the full moon?_ A drop of pity pooled in her stomach. _I wonder if anyone was there to help him recover._

"Your fear of me wasn't unfounded," Gaara replied. He nodded at Chosun's scar. "I hurt you—badly."

Chosun chuckled. His fingers dug into the skin below his scar. "I can't say this was entirely undeserved. Technically, I started it by provoking you. And…I guess…living with it gave me some perspective. I shouldn't have been so reckless and arrogant. But I forgot about my reasons and spent most of my time being afraid of you." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have explained years ago."

Gaara didn't say anything but his mouth quirked in a small smile to show his acceptance of the apology.

"Well…" Naruto seized the quiet moment before things got even more tense and awkward. "Is there anything else you wanted to tell us Kankuro?"

"Oh right!" Kankuro nodded quickly, just as eager to dispel the awkwardness. "The seal that Cassandra placed on Gaara should be enough to contain his yokai instincts. Lady Chiyo—the one who created the seal—told us that he will be able to access his demonic powers, but he has to take it easy." He eyed his brother pointedly. "We'll have to set up some training regimes so you could start learning how to control your powers."

Gaara sighed. "That's fine."

"We also wanted to tell you two that we finished all of the paperwork," Temari added cheerfully. "If you're fully healed, you can be released from the hospital."

"Great!" Naruto grinned. "I was getting calluses on my rear end from sitting in this bed."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Dobe, you're so crude," he grumbled.

Naruto childishly stuck his tongue out at him, forgetting about the people around them. "Hey, I'm just telling the truth," he said. "You weren't awake as long as I was."

Sasuke smirked. "As long as you're just doing that and not showing us."

Naruto slugged him lightly on the arm. "Hah! I just don't want you to get jealous over my ass being nicer than yours." _Take that bastard._

Cassandra palmed her face with one hand. _Oh Uzumaki really?_

Sasuke rubbed the spot where Naruto had slugged him. His smirk broadened. _Two can play that game._ "I didn't know you spent so much time staring at mine and comparing," he replied, relishing in the red flush that took over the blond's tan face.

Temari and Kankuro choked and averted their eyes. Gaara allowed himself a wry smile.

"Pervert."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. " _I'm_ the pervert? You're the one who brought it up."

Chosun suddenly burst out laughing, and the sound was so bizarre coming from him that everyone stared at him in shock. He stopped laughing when he saw he had an audience again and coughed. "Uh sorry," he mumbled. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. _I sure am setting myself up for embarrassment today._ "It's just…it's so weird to see you two get along."

 _Get along?_ Naruto and Sasuke thought at the same time. They exchanged puzzled glances. _We're getting along?_

Then again, the usual amount of mutual dislike and annoyance was missing from this argument. This was more like playful banter between two… The red flush returned to Naruto's face and he looked away from Sasuke. _Between two…_ From the corners of his eyes, he could see the Uchiha was staring at the ground and struggling not to blush. _Friends._

Their silent exchange did not go unnoticed. From her spot, Cassandra almost smiled. _Hmph. Maybe Iruka-sensei was right. This trip turned out to be beneficial in more ways than one.  
_

* * *

Riaru raced down a long corridor through the main council building, her long hair and coat hem trailing behind her. The silvery-blue walls seemed to stretch on forever, occasionally broken up by a black or white door. Other ophanin sent her strange looks as she darted up a small flight of stairs. She smiled back at them nervously. She was not due back at the Ophanin Sanctuary for another few days, but the events that transpired the day before couldn't wait.

 _It was already weird enough that I fainted and didn't remember a thing about it. Then I started having that vision with Naruto in Suna._ She gulped. _Not to mention that disturbing dream yesterday._

She didn't remember much after it had happened; only that she had woken up after falling off the bed and tangling her legs in her sheets. _That was embarrassing. At least nobody was home to see that_. She shuddered. _Or to hear me screaming._

So now here she was, visiting her so-called "home" ahead of schedule. She wasn't sure if it was polite of her to barge into Tsunade's office unannounced. She wasn't even sure Tsunade would be able to help her with these dreams. But the ophanin leader was one of the few people she could talk to about them. Iruka was busy at the academy and she couldn't bother him since the exams were coming up. Senko, Kiteru, and Kirokose wouldn't understand. And Naruto wasn't back from his trip to Suna yet.

The stairs ended and Riaru stepped through an open doorway and out onto a long walkway. A roof covered the entire length of the walkway, but the sides were open so fresh air streamed through. Tiny skylights sent thin streaks of light through the wood slats in the roof.

From here, Riaru could see a few ophanin children flying around the courtyard near the fountain. She stopped walking to stare at it. Minato Namikaze's statue gleamed in the sunlight.

 _Why is it that I seem to know you?_ She recalled that brief flash of blond hair and a gentle smile. _I was a baby when you died. When would I_ ever _have seen you?_

"What are you doing here Riaru?"

"Oh!" Riaru spun around. "S-Seiya!"

The older ophan floated about a foot away from her, her aqua wings and sedate white dress fluttering in the cool breeze. She carried a set of folders in one hand and her head tilted to the side in curiosity. "I didn't know you were visiting today. You should have given us notice."

"I'm sorry." Riaru bowed hastily. "I wasn't planning on visiting Tsunade-sama today, but…well…it couldn't wait."

Seiya blinked. "I see." She nodded at a pair of oak doors at the end of the walkway. "I'm on my way to her office actually." She tapped the folders. "I'll let you in."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

Thankful that the other ophan didn't pry into what was so important, Riaru followed her through the double doors and into an elegant sitting area. She stopped in her tracks, gazing around in awe. The room was spacious and curved in the shape of an oval. The floor was covered with a cream-colored carpet that was so thick Riaru's flats sank into it. Plush chairs in maroon and dark blue were scattered around the room and a long curved couch ran along the wall. A vase filled with pink calla lilies and irises rested on a carved table. One side of the room had a large window that stretched from floor to ceiling. Riaru could see that it looked out over the courtyard and the fountain.

Seiya walked on through the sitting room and toward another set of doors at the other end of the room. She knocked twice. "Excuse me Tsunade-sama?"

"Hmmm?" Shuffling could be heard from behind the door.

"It's Seiya. Riaru is here to see you."

More shuffling and then a muffled voice called out, "Okay. You can send her in."

Seiya nodded and turned to give Riaru a reassuring smile. "It's okay," she said. She opened the door and walked into the office, Riaru behind her. They both stopped and stared.

Tsunade lay sprawled across her half-oval desk surrounded by scrolls, empty bottles, and stacks of paper. A pen rested on top of her messy blonde hair which had worked its way out of its customary twin ponytails.

She tossed both girls a flustered grin. "Hi girls. Excuse the mess."

Seiya shook her head and stepped around a few scattered books and papers, picking them up and tidying along the way. "Tsunade-sama, were you really working this whole time or were you sleeping again?" she asked.

"Aw c'mon Sei, have some faith in me," said Tsunade even as her grin turned slightly guilty. Reaching up to pluck the pen from her hair, she waved her other hand at two soft chairs that weren't covered in paper or books. "Have a seat if you want girls."

Riaru immediately took a seat but Seiya did not. "I'm not staying for very long. I'm just here to drop these off." She placed the folders she was carrying on the edge of the desk. "I already looked over the paperwork here and sorted everything. I'll be back to help you later."

"Thanks."

Seiya nodded and walked out the door. "I'll leave you two alone."

Once the door closed behind her, Tsunade turned her smiling gaze on Riaru. "So kiddo, what can I do for you? People down in Konoha giving you a hard time?"

"No more than usual. And nothing that I haven't grown accustomed to," said Riaru. She fidgeted in her seat. "It's something else. There's no one else around for me to talk to about it."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "You're not pregnant are you?" she asked.

"Wha—no!" Riaru flushed bright red. "Nothing like that! It's about a nightmare that I had!"

"Oh." Tsunade grinned. "Well in _that_ case, shoot."

"Okay." Riaru smoothed down her dress and folded her hands in her lap. She took a deep breath. "The dream started out normal enough. I was just flying back to Konoha from the Tenshi Garden." She closed her eyes, trying to remember what she'd seen. "I was going to stop at Ichiraku's to wait for Naruto and Iruka-otousan…"

_The city streets were bustling with people hurrying to their jobs or their homes, and kids playing on the sidewalks. She spotted the ramen shop from her place in the sky. Teuchi and Ayame were inside, already serving customers. The smell of miso and beef wafted through the air._

_She landed right beside the ramen shop and looked around for her two housemates. She saw Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno not far from Ichiraku's, talking about going to the Amaguriama sweet shop. Chouji Akimichi bounded past her, dragging a reluctant Shikamaru Nara, loudly yelling he was in search of barbeque. It all seemed fairly standard._

_Then the scene changed. The sky turned from bright blue to bright orange, and the air became dry and hot. She coughed. Smoke curled around her as Ichiraku's erupted in flames. Teuchi and Ayame dashed off as the world around her transformed into a warzone. Buildings were smashed to pieces or ripped off their foundations. Blood was splashed over the earth, staining it rusty brown. Though she couldn't see any people, she could hear screams of terror all around her. She clamped her hands over her ears, but the sounds continued to ring louder and louder. Her head seared with pain and she fell to her knees._

Kami-sama. Make it stop. Make it stop.

 _There was a low chuckle. She slowly removed her hands from her ears. Dark shapes that didn't even_ look _remotely human crept everywhere. Some of them resembled animals while others had brilliant-colored wings that shone against the burning sky._

Stay away. Stay away from me.

_And over the screams and chaos she heard a long mournful howl._

"I woke up right after that. I don't remember anything else," said Riaru. "This isn't the first strange dream I've had. The day before yesterday, I had a dream where I saw Naruto and Sasuke-san being attacked. And Iruka-otousan said that I fainted but I don't remember that happening." She stared down at her folded hands, noting that they were shaking. "What…what does this mean?" She looked up, her eyes wide and vulnerable.

Tsunade was gawking at her in horrified recognition. Then she seemed to remember herself because the expression vanished as soon it had appeared. She coughed. "I-I don't know. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a dream reader. Although I suppose there's no harm in telling you that I hope your dreams aren't prophetic." She frowned. "You didn't see Naruto or Iruka in your recent dream at all did you?"

Riaru shook her head.

"Nor Sasuke Uchiha either?"

Again, Riaru shook her head.

"I see." Tsunade rubbed her forehead. In spite of her eternally youthful face, she suddenly looked old and tired. She sighed and reached around the stack of papers for an unopened bottle of sake.

"Um…Tsunade-sama…" Riaru twisted her hands together, trying to hide her nervousness but knowing, thanks to her being an ophan, it was obvious. _I wonder if I said the wrong thing._ "About those creatures that I saw in my dream…what do you suppose they were?"

The older ophan paused in the act of opening the sake bottle and slowly put it down.

"I assume they were yokai," she said with a slight shrug.

 _Yokai?_ Riaru blinked, taken aback by this information. _But what would the yokai be doing in Konoha?_ "I thought the yokai weren't allowed to set foot anywhere outside of their lands."

"That's not entirely accurate," Tsunade replied, resting her chin on one hand. "I believe Konoha's off limits, but they can still walk around any of the other cities. They're just not allowed to _harm_ any human or ophan. If they do, they break the promise they made with us and we'll have to go and subdue them. I'm not sure they know that they're free to walk around outside their borders, and frankly I'd rather keep it that way." She glanced at a framed picture on the wall behind Riaru. It depicted a young man with long pale blue hair and gentle green eyes. Her fingers touched the green jewel on her necklace. "The last thing we need is to fight again."

Riaru nodded. "But what would they be doing in my dream if it wasn't—"

"I don't know if I can answer your question Riaru," Tsunade interrupted her. She smiled but it wasn't a very cheerful smile. It looked as if her lips were straining with the effort.

"At least not yet."

Riaru gazed intently at the woman. With their inability to keep their emotions completely hidden, ophanin tended to be horrible liars. Tsunade was better at faking than most, but she _was_ still an ophan.

 _I suppose I shouldn't pry into this,_ Riaru thought. She tapped her heels against the legs of the chair. _Should I tell her about what I learned from Hatori-san? That I know Naruto isn't human and his father is Minato Namikaze?_

"Hey kiddo, why so glum?" Tsunade prodded gently.

She shook her head. If Tsunade did not want to answer her question about the yokai, she probably would not be so keen on answering any other questions. _She'll probably think I'm going crazy. And…I don't feel comfortable discussing this without Naruto around._

"It's nothing." Riaru kept her head down to prevent the ophan from seeing her expression. "I'm just worried." She looked up. Well that wasn't a total lie.

Tsunade suddenly sent her a very sharp look. "Did Naruto tell you when he was supposed to come home from his little training session?" she asked.

"No," said Riaru. She stopped tapping her heels against the chair. "I assume he'll be back in a few days. Just in time for the exams."

"Hmm." Tsunade sat back in her chair, studying her. This time Riaru failed to hide her squirming. "In that case, I want you to send a message to him. Be sure to tell Iruka as well."

Riaru frowned. "Okay. What do you want me to tell them?"

Tsunade smiled and the smile seemed genuine. She reached for the unopened sake bottle again. "I want you to tell Naruto that I've changed my mind about seeing him on his birthday. I'd like to see him next week instead."

 _What the hell?_ "So soon? But...the exams…"

"Based on what you told me, I don't think it can wait until his birthday." Tsunade opened the bottle and downed about half the contents without pausing for breath. She wiped her mouth. "So if you can do that for me, I'd appreciate it. I'll try to work around the exams. But no promises on that one kiddo."

Riaru stood up shakily, her mind whirling. "I…I'll see what I can do," she said. Inwardly she thought, _This can't be a coincidence._

"Good."

* * *

Naruto watched the bright orange sun set below the large rock formations surrounding the city. With no clouds swirling around, the last rays of sunlight spread freely across the rocks, drowning them in an orange and red glow. A warm breeze blew by and ruffled his spiky blond hair.

 _Tomorrow's our last day here._ He leaned back, staring at the people walking below from his perch. _All things considering, it was a pretty successful training session. I upgraded one of my techniques and learned some survival skills. I went up against a crazy demon and survived. I met some interesting people. And I even got along with Sasuke-teme._ He smiled slightly. _Well…sort of._

After finally being released from the hospital, he and Sasuke were allowed to go back to the inn to change into their regular attire. Once he swapped out the hospital clothes for loose khakis and an oversized orange T-shirt, he asked Sasuke if he wanted to go roaming around the city with him. The other teen had declined so now here he was, spending the end of the evening people-watching.

At least he'd have some great stories to tell Riaru and Iruka when he got back to Konoha.

"I was wondering where you were. You missed dinner."

Naruto jolted and glanced to the spot beside him. Cassandra stood there, her arms crossed in front of her chest. She'd changed out of her loose hospital clothes and into a more familiar blue wrap-around shirt and tight black leggings.

"How'd you know about this spot?"

"Gaara likes to come up here a lot when he wants some alone-time. It's mostly at night when he can't sleep," said the sage. She nodded in the direction of the city streets below. "He can watch over the people from here. I guess it gives him some semblance of peace. He's close enough so he can see them, but far enough away so he can't hurt them if something happens."

Naruto blinked up at her. "I…I see."

"So do you believe me now?"

"About what?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. _He's not_ that _dense is he?_ "About what I said before. About you possibly being a demon." She flicked one hand at his stomach. "Sasuke told me that you have a tattoo there. Does it look like this?" She dangled an old piece of parchment in front of his face.

Naruto eyed the picture critically. On it was a picture of a black spiral surrounded by tiny teardrop shapes. Upon closer inspection the teardrop shapes resembled elegant calligraphy. "It _does_ kinda look like that," he said with a shrug.

"Before I went to rescue you guys from Gaara, I spoke to an elder named Chiyo. She's an expert on seals. I was trying to find a way to contain Gaara's powers and I stumbled across this." Cassandra shook the picture. "I don't know what it's called, but this is no ordinary mark. This is a seal that can only be created _by_ a demon to restrain or control another demon's powers. It takes a lot of power and skill to create the mark, and the price is pretty hefty." She nodded at his stomach. "If this is the seal that you have, then I guess that proves it. You really are a demon of some kind." She rolled up the picture and placed it in the folds of her wrap-around shirt.

"I don't know." Naruto turned away to look at the rock formations again. The last rays of sunlight were beginning to slip out of sight. "It's not that I don't think you have a point but…" He clenched his hands into fists. "I just can't believe it. If I'm a demon then how come I don't have _any_ demon traits? Yeah, so I have a lot of excess energy but I'm not the only one. There are plenty of monks back home that have a lot of stamina. The seal—if it _is_ a seal—explains the lack of control, but what about everything else?" He didn't tell her about the painful surges of power during the fight with Gaara or his strange reaction to her sealing technique. "I don't have wings, not even undeveloped ones! I don't have any unique skills beyond that of an ordinary warrior class. I have trouble learning even the most basic spells. I don't even really _look_ like a demon either. Not really."

He didn't consider himself absurdly attractive or unique in appearance like the yokai. And he didn't have the odd glow surrounding him that the ophanin tended to sport when they weren't trying to appear human.

Cassandra winced. "I don't have all the answers Uzumaki but from what's been seen you—"

"And if I _was_ a demon…" Naruto shut his eyes as a bitter smile crossed his face. "The ophanin haven't exactly been clamoring for me to come live with them, and I'm not sure I'd go with the yokai even _if_ they somehow wanted me." He flopped backward on the stone ground and stared up at the violet and red-streaked sky. Tiny stars were starting to appear. "Whatever. It doesn't matter."

Cassandra blinked, startled. "It doesn't? But aren't you even a little curious about your past?" she persisted.

Naruto lifted a finger and pointed toward the sky. Two bright stars winked down at him. "All I care about right now is passing that exam when we get home and showing everyone that I'm not a failure. It doesn't matter where I came from," he said firmly. "It hasn't exactly helped me anyway so why should I worry? As long as I get to prove that I'm just as good as every other warrior out there, then I'm not gonna let it get to me."

He gulped, pushing the memory of searching the Konoha graveyard for his parents to the back of his mind as if it would make what he said more true.

Cassandra let her eyes roam freely over the blond boy, feeling the words sink in. _You're a curious one Uzumaki._ All throughout this trip, she had been focused on juggling her duties to train with Sasuke and Naruto, and her desire to help Gaara. Her interest in Naruto was more of an afterthought. It wasn't like she _hadn't_ noticed him. In spite of his sudden attractiveness as he grew older, he remained a loud and obvious presence. She always knew he was unusual. But the only reason why she bothered looking beyond her initial curiosity with his powers was because of his similarity to Gaara.

Yet she saw how shameful it was now, that she'd been interested in his origin and powers, but she hadn't cared much about Naruto himself. She hadn't noticed the undercurrent of bitterness and surprising depth beneath the boy's cheerful and hot-blooded exterior. Oh yeah, part of it was due to her focus primarily being on Sasuke, but still…in a way, she ignored how he felt much like how most of Konoha had. He was a complex person she'd reduced to one dimension.

_I suppose there's one way to fix that._

"I owe you an apology."

Naruto sat up, his hand pressing against the faded bruise on his cheek. "Really?"

Cassandra nodded, plopping herself down beside the blond with a huff. "I still think what you and Sasuke did was stupid and reckless. But you guys did help get Gaara back to normal. And you stayed behind to save Sasuke. You didn't have to stay, but you did. You risked your life for him." She gave him a crooked grin. "So I have to apologize for hitting you…and thank you too."

 _Sasuke._ It figured the conversation would somehow steer back to Sasuke. It always seemed to with this girl. He shrugged and turned away from her, suddenly a bit miffed. "It was nothing."

Cassandra sighed, irritated at the blond's sudden distance. _What did I do wrong now?_ "Stop being modest Uzumaki. It doesn't suit you," she scolded lightly. She twirled the fingers of her left hand in a circular motion. _"Hyo."_ A healing sphere of white light floated toward Naruto's bruised cheek and pressed against it. "There. Does that feel better?"

Naruto shut his eyes and relaxed. The warmth from the light washed over him and soothed the still-aching skin. He nodded. "Thanks."

"You know I was worried about you too," said the sage.

Naruto's eyes shot open and he stared back at her in surprise. She stretched out her legs and studied the tips of her flat shoes. "I should have been with you and Sasuke instead of holed up in the library. Your safety should have been my first priority. Riaru and Iruka-sensei would never have forgiven me if anything had happened to you." She blinked rapidly. " _I_ wouldn't have forgiven myself either."

"You didn't know what was going to happen," Naruto assured her. "And you're not our babysitter. We're all practically adults here."

"Yeah but still…" Cassandra twirled her fingers again and the sphere of light left Naruto's cheek. The bruise had faded away, leaving behind smooth tan skin. _That's enough._ She waved her hand and the light vanished. "I was aware of the signs. I've monitored Gaara's progress on and off, but it wasn't enough. If I had just asked Lady Chiyo about the seal before…but I guess I didn't know she was an option before. Anyway, I kinda just shoved all that demon stuff on you even though you didn't want to hear it." She sighed and gazed at her shoes again. "I wasn't entirely fair to you. I'm sorry."

Naruto scooted closer to the girl. Guilty aura was coming from her body in waves. "Hey." He touched her shoulder. "What happened yesterday wasn't your fault. Even if you did figure out how to make a seal, it took all of your energy to do it. And we're all right, even Gaara. So stop feeling so guilty and beating yourself up over it." He shook her shoulder. "Okay?"

Cassandra laughed quietly. She turned to look at him, her eyes no longer filled with self-loathing. "Okay Uzumaki."

"Naruto," he corrected her. "My name is Naruto."

She rolled her eyes. "Right. Sorry Naruto. Tough habit to break." She smiled again, a real smile that softened her angular face and enveloped him in its warmth. Her normally steely eyes gleamed in the soft rays of starlight and Naruto found himself smiling back.

"Uh...quick question."

Cassandra tilted her head to one side. "Yes?"

"Did you tell Sasuke any of this?"

The luminous smile turned sheepish. "Nope. Just you," she admitted.

Naruto's smile turned smug. _Well that's_ one _thing I got over that jerk now._ "I gotta say that's pretty weird," he said. "I would think he'd be the first person you'd tell. Not that he'd listen."

Cassandra laughed and tucked a lock of shiny dark hair behind her ear. She nudged his shoulder with her elbow. "C'mon he's not _that_ bad."

Naruto snorted. _Uh huh._

"I'm serious," she insisted. "Look, let me ask you something. What do you know about Sasuke?"

"I know he's a genius and an arrogant bastard."

Cassandra's lips twitched. "No he had parents. Anything else?"

Naruto leaned back on his hands and stretched out his legs. It felt strange to be sitting here with Sasuke's housemate, having a conversation about Sasuke as if it were an ordinary thing. "Well…I know his family is dead except for his brother. He told me he wants his brother dead." Cassandra frowned slightly at this, but she didn't interrupt. "And I know he wasn't always such a jerk. When we were little, he was…nice. I'm sure his family dying messed him up but…" He cast Cassandra a furtive look. "You would know that too I guess."

The girl shrugged, fidgeting uncomfortably on her spot. "Yeah. Time changes people." There was a long pause. "Is that it?"

Naruto nodded. "That's…all I really know." He suddenly felt ashamed. "I guess it's kinda sad now that I think about it." His mouth broke into an awkward grin. "He's my rival, but I don't know much more about him than anyone else does."

"Don't sell yourself short Naruto," said Cassandra. "You at least got to know him before he changed. The fact he even told you about his family at all means he does trust you a bit more than everyone else." Her face saddened. "Even more than me. It took years before he would tell _me_ anything."

"No way!" Naruto blinked, stunned. "You're kidding!"

Cassandra shook her head. "Believe it or not, he's actually more comfortable with you. With me and everyone else, he keeps his mask in place. There are times he lets it slip, but that's only after considerable effort on my part. But with you…" her voice trailed off and she hugged her knees to her chest, feeling unexpectedly vulnerable. She didn't like it.

 _I don't think how he acts around you is a mask_ , she thought. _With you, I think he's more…real._

Naruto stared at her, his cerulean eyes as wide as dinner plates and his mouth dropped open. _But…but Sasuke hates me!_

The girl smirked. "I don't think he hates you." Naruto jumped. _How the hell…did I just say that out loud?_ "Don't look so surprised. It's written all over your face." She nudged his arm with a free hand. "Seriously. If he hated you, you'd know. _Trust_ me."

 _I'd know?_ The memory of Sasuke's anger the night he'd mentioned his brother passed through Naruto's mind. Any amount of irritation that Sasuke had expressed around him had paled in comparison to the absolute fury in those fascinating dark eyes. _I-I guess I_ would _know_.

"Well I still think he prefers your company over mine." He shook his head, attempting to forget all thoughts of anything _fascinating_ relating to Sasuke in general. "After all, you live with him."

"That doesn't mean anything," Cassandra replied in a soft voice. The sad look was back on her face. "We're just housemates."

" _We live in the same house, we eat in the same room, and we occasionally see each other in school or around Konoha. It's not like we're friends."_

But that wasn't true was it? Even if they weren't close friends anymore, she clearly meant something to the broody mage-warrior. He remembered the anger in Sasuke's voice when Cassandra had been hurt, and his horrified reaction when she'd fainted. Behind her earlier frustration, he sensed overwhelming concern and protectiveness for the Uchiha. She was technically the closest thing to family that Sasuke had. In that sense, they weren't very different from him and Riaru.

"You're not just housemates," Naruto declared. He turned to stare at the sky, letting the brilliant white starlight fill his blue eyes. "I think he cares about you…even though he'd never say it." He felt the sage's startled blue gaze. "And I know you care about him. You wouldn't have said those things to him back at the hospital if you didn't. Though why you bother to put up with him and his crap is beyond me."

Cassandra fought the urge to laugh. This was definitely one of the longest conversations she had ever had with the blond boy. And she actually didn't want it to end yet. _I wonder…_ She nudged his arm again. "You don't really know much about me do you Naruto?"

Naruto shifted in his seat. "Not really," he admitted. "All I know is that you're a really strong sage, your father is the Archsage Master, and you have a huge family but you live with Sasuke." He looked at her solemnly. "And you used to be best friends with Riaru."

A shadow passed over the girl's pale face and she turned away. The corners of her mouth curled upward in a rueful smile. "Used to be huh," she whispered. _Guess that_ is _my fault. I haven't exactly been the greatest friend._

Shaking her head, she turned back to Naruto, her usual smirk back in place. "So that's all you know? I could tell you more. Like how my father is a goofball and my stepmother is a pain. I could tell you the names of my siblings and their spouses. All except Raine, Niran, and Yukina who aren't married. I could tell you that we were fairly acquainted with the Hyuuga clan before my father struck up a friendship with the Uchiha clan. I'll even admit I had a crush on Neji when I was little."

Naruto blinked, startled. "You…you did?"

Cassandra nodded. She blushed and her eyes shone with a nostalgic light. "I was eight and he was the first boy I met outside of my brothers." She rolled her eyes. "I doubt he ever noticed and…it wouldn't have mattered."

 _Huh. Okay then._ "Is your stepmother really a pain?" he asked.

The girl shrugged. "I'll give her some credit. She was a fair maternal figure and she did raise me and my siblings well. But Kirika has never made it a secret that she doesn't like me. She's not cruel or anything. I think she just…has a lot of built up resentment." Her mouth curled into a smile, one that was both sad and mocking. "Because of my mother."

Naruto winced. "She hated your mother?"

Cassandra shook her head. "I don't know. No one talks about my mother," she whispered. Her fingers traced the fine swirling grains of sand imbedded in the stone floor. "But…apparently I look a lot like her and I don't think my father has ever gotten past that." She suddenly tossed a playful grin Naruto's way. "Y'know Sasuke looks a lot like his mother too—only _male._ "

"Uh…" _What the hell am I supposed to say to that? That Sasuke is pretty enough to pass for a girl?_ Naruto flushed at the mental image. He wasn't sure what was odder: the fact that he could see it or that the image wasn't unappealing in the slightest. _He'd never let me hear the end of it._

"Ne…" The girl prodded his shoulder. "So what else do you know about me?"

"Well I guess I know about your bloodline trait. There's that." Naruto hesitated. "And I know…you were engaged to marry Sasuke's brother."

It was as if he'd said something taboo. Cassandra's smile vanished and she seemed to withdraw into herself. The happy nostalgic light in those deep blue irises died, leaving behind a mix of cynicism and weariness. Her cold invisible aura swept over him in stifling waves.

 _Oh crap._ "I'm sorry!" Naruto spluttered. "Listen, you don't have to—"

"Did Sasuke tell you that?" Cassandra interrupted him. She had folded her arms on her upraised knees, leaning forward to rest her head on them. She bit her bottom lip, staring blankly into the distance.

Naruto nodded. Then he remembered that she wasn't even looking at him. "Um yeah…so it's true?"

Cassandra turned to look at him. For a couple of minutes, she could only stare at him without saying a word. Her whole body appeared on edge. Then she sighed and buried her face into her folded arms. She managed out a muffled "yes."

"Um…oh."

Naruto squirmed, wanting to smack himself. _That's the best you can say to her in response to that Uzumaki?_ He scolded himself. _"Oh?"_

"His name was Itachi," Cassandra whispered, startling the blond. She stared into the distance again as if it were the most interesting sight in the world. A small gust of wind blew by, brushing against his spiky blond head and tugging at the ends of her long black hair. Unlike before, the night air felt cold. "Our parents arranged the engagement. He was twelve and I was eight. But even at twelve, he was a genius and the pride of the Uchiha clan. He was handsome, strong, and obedient. People said I was lucky to have been chosen for him." Naruto noticed sorrow cross her vacant expression. "I wasn't crazy about marrying Itachi, but I got around to accepting it. Even though he was distant and quiet, he was kind to me. I admired him. And I would have never met Sasuke if not for the engagement."

Cassandra smiled bitterly, surprised how easily the words slipped out. _That was when I was still so hopelessly young and stupid._ She shook her head. _All these years, I still thought Itachi was a good guy._

"I guess if I was given more time, I could have grown to love him. Maybe not in the passionate romantic way those old fairytales talk about. But it would've been enough."

Then she laughed but, unlike before, there was no amusement behind the sound. The night sky seeped into her deep blue eyes, rendering them nearly black. She gripped her knees tightly, her blunt nails digging into the thin black fabric of her pants. "But then I found out it was all a lie. Itachi was no perfect heir or loving brother. In reality, he was nothing more than a liar and a murderer," she muttered grimly. "We were all such fools."

"What?"

Cassandra suddenly whipped her head around to face Naruto. Her dark hair seemed to meld with the sky as it fluttered in the cool breeze. In the starlight, the bitterness in her eyes had given way to cold fury. Shadows played across her pale face, making her presence large and frightening.

"You wanna know why Sasuke is the way he is? How his family died? Blame Itachi. It's his fault they're all dead." She watched the look of shock dawn on Naruto's face. She almost felt like laughing again even though there was nothing funny about the situation. "I don't know all the grisly details but I know enough. You'll have to ask Sasuke if you want to know the whole truth. That is…if you can bring yourself to."

Her eyes met his and their cold navy depths pierced right through him. He shuddered. "Because while you do know a few things about Sasuke, the fact is…you really don't _understand_ him at all Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

When Naruto arrived back at the inn, he found his room in total darkness. Sasuke stood at the window staring up at the twinkling sky. The light from the stars enveloped him in its glow, making his pale skin nearly translucent and catching the glossy strands in his black hair. The bruise on his cheek had dulled to a faint pastel blue.

"You're late," said Sasuke. He turned around and leaned against the windowsill, arms crossed loosely over his chest. His dark blue nightshirt hung loose on one shoulder, exposing part of his collarbone. He gazed at the blond, patiently waiting for a response. "I didn't know you were going to be gone so long."

"I had a long conversation with your housemate. You didn't have to wait up for me," Naruto replied. He shifted awkwardly, unable to look at his rival in the eye. He wasn't sure what else he could say. The conversation with Cassandra was still fresh in his mind. He could still feel her icy aura and fierce gaze.

Sasuke shrugged and pushed away from the windowsill. _What's with him?_ "What did you expect me to do? Sleep? It'd be a waste if I had to wake up from your trampling around."

Naruto frowned. _Okay, forget Cassandra._ "Hey, I can see perfectly fine thank you very much. I'm not that clumsy."

Sasuke smirked. "So you _are_ admitting you're clumsy."

"And here I thought you'd take a day off from being an asshole."

The smirk didn't falter. "I'll do that when you take a day off from being a klutz," the Uchiha replied smoothly.

"Jerk." Naruto rolled his eyes and felt along the wall for the light switch. He flipped it on, bathing the room in bright white light. _Oh crap._ He quickly covered his eyes. _Too bright!_ "Sorry!"

Sasuke cringed and rubbed his eyes. "Way to go genius," he snapped. If he wasn't on the other side of the room, he would have smacked the idiot. "You could've warned me you were going to do that."

"I said I was sorry!" Naruto squinted and shuffled forward into the room, nearly stumbling around two chairs and a decorative plant. As he passed by the low center table he noticed a bundle wrapped in furoshiki cloth sitting beside a flask of water. "What's that?" He pointed at it.

Sasuke stiffened. "I…I didn't know if you ate so I got you something from one of the vendors." He frowned and shifted his gaze to the floor. Kami, he should say _something_ otherwise the idiot would get suspicious. "Chosun told me it was pretty trustworthy and the others were worried after you didn't show up for dinner," he explained.

Naruto blinked, staring at the bundle then at Sasuke then back to the bundle. _This…this is for me?_ Sasuke never went out of his way to be kind to anyone. He could recall the amount of times the Uchiha had done something nice for _him_ on one hand.

That warm tingling sensation started up in his heart again and slowly spread to his face. He coughed and sat down. "Uh...I see." He reached for the bundle, his fingers clumsily undoing the knot. His hands felt like they were made of rubber. "Um…thanks Sasuke."

Sasuke grunted. "You don't need to thank me. I owe you for saving me yesterday. Consider this part of my debt." He turned away to look out the window again. His eyes had by now adjusted to the light in the room.

 _Damn._ Naruto sighed and tried to focus on the bundle. It was becoming a lot more difficult to hold on to his regular dislike for Sasuke. But he wasn't sure he liked the idea of going back to the status quo, especially when it seemed like they were finally making progress toward being friends again. Okay, baby steps but their relationship had grown more during this trip than it had all those years at the academy.

Again he recalled his conversation with Cassandra and her fierce last statement.

" _The fact is…you really don't understand him at all Naruto Uzumaki."_

_I guess it wouldn't hurt to start._

"I don't get you."

Sasuke turned around. "What?"

"I don't get you," Naruto repeated flatly. He finished unwrapping the bundle, revealing a bento filled with rice lightly drizzled in soy sauce, broiled salmon, shrimp tempura, and a rolled egg. A pair of chopsticks lay beside the bed of rice. "You're not supposed to be like this. You're usually a jerk. You wouldn't have saved me from that first attack by Shukaku and I don't think I would have had to tell you to save yourself. You wouldn't have cared less what happened to me."

He picked up the tempura and chewed on it, his teeth digging into the crispy shell. "But you saved me and you only agreed to leave when I told you to run. And now you actually went out of your way to get me something to eat."

"So?"

"So I don't get you." Naruto put down the tempura and looked at his rival in the eye. "Is that whole 'arrogant bastard' thing real…or are you not as heartless as you'd like people to believe?"

Sasuke's insides lurched. "I…" He quickly forced himself to appear impassive. "I don't see why it matters." He clenched his jaw, mentally cursing himself for reacting to the other boy's question.

"It matters to me," Naruto muttered. He turned away and hastily shoved the rest of the tempura, egg, and rice into his mouth. "I don't understand why you'd bother being so nice if you hated me."

"Tch. I don't hate you."

 _Huh?_ Naruto coughed as the tempura remained lodged in his throat. _Ugh._ He reached for the flask of water and downed about half of the contents. _Whew. That was close._

"Hn. Are you okay?"

Naruto spun around in his seat. Sasuke was now beside him, a hand placed cautiously on his shoulder. If he had any lingering doubts about how different the other boy was being around him, they were washed away by the look in his eyes. Sasuke appeared to be struggling with himself even as a current of honest emotion flashed in those dark eyes.

_"I don't hate you."_

It was one thing to hear it from Cassandra. It was something else to hear it straight from Sasuke's own mouth.

"Go back to what you said before," said Naruto. "Did I just hear you say that you don't hate me?"

Sasuke sighed. _He's not gonna let that go._ "Don't get me wrong. I still think you're annoying and you piss me off any chance you get. But…" He grimaced. "If I hated you, I wouldn't waste my time with you. I wouldn't have helped you back there with Gaara. I…I don't want you dead." He looked away, suddenly embarrassed. "This world would be a far less interesting place."

Naruto stared at him. His heart gave a small lurch.

"Do you mean that…Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged, still refusing to look at him. His cheeks flushed pink. "I wouldn't say it unless I meant it." The answer was so low Naruto had to strain to hear it. But he _had_ heard it.

He blushed too, his heart fluttering around like a butterfly in his chest. Then his lips curled up in a half-grin, realizing how much it cost the other boy to confess such a thing. A warm tingle spread throughout his body.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke heard the quiet murmur of his name and snuck a quick glance at the other boy. The harsh room lights had hit him at full force causing his bright hair and tan skin to glow honey gold. He radiated sunlight and warmth; something that always struck Sasuke as odd about his rival.

 _Damn it._ "I'm going to bed," he said, his voice hoarse and agitated. "If you want to keep eating, go ahead. Just try not to be too loud and turn off the light when you're done." He stumbled backward towards his bed and flopped onto it, rolling to the side so his back faced Naruto.

Naruto glanced down at his half-eaten meal and then at his rival's back. Part of him felt reluctant to deal with the practicalities of their changing relationship so soon. But another part of him persisted.

He sighed. "Look, we were friends once. Remember when we were kids?" He smiled, reminiscing. "I remember the day I first met you. You weren't such a prick then." Sasuke grunted. "I taught you how to swing and I…" He hesitated. "I remember how you used to laugh."

The memory sharpened and he could still hear the happy peals of laughter. He could feel the wind whipping around him as the child Sasuke swung on the swing, smiling and laughing. Then the memory faded and he found himself staring at Sasuke's back again.

"Would us being friends again…really be so bad?"

 _Yes,_ Sasuke thought. _Friends are a distraction I don't need. Having friends requires me to care about someone else and I…I can't afford to feel anything. Not if I want to get stronger than Itachi._

So why couldn't he say it? He had disliked the other boy for so long and he wasn't even sure if he liked these powerful alien emotions welling up inside him. It was so easy to insult Naruto so why did one single word catch in his throat?

Maybe it was because he too could remember their childish friendship long ago. Back when it used to be easy for him to smile. Back when life was simple and he hadn't been forced to grow up so soon. _Back when my family was still alive and I wasn't alone._ He flinched and pushed the memories to the back of his mind. Yet he couldn't prevent the surge of warmth in his chest as Naruto's words hovered between them, clashing with his brooding thoughts.

Naruto's frown deepened at the uneasy silence filling the room. "Hey teme! The least you could do is answer me!" He stood up and crossed the room until he was standing right beside Sasuke's bed. The Uchiha didn't move. "Or at least look at me!" He grabbed onto his arm.

No sooner had he done that, Sasuke sat up and jerked his arm away as if scalded. "Don't touch me so familiarly usuratonkachi," he snapped. His pupils dilated and his fingers flexed as if filled with the urge to hit something—or someone.

The blond teen rolled his eyes. "Sheesh teme, no need to be so sensitive. What, did someone do something to—" he stopped.

_"You wanna know why Sasuke is the way he is? How his family died? Blame Itachi. It's his fault."_

_On second thought, let's not finish that sentence._

"A-anyway…" Naruto plopped himself onto the other boy's bed. The blanket and sheets rose and fell. "Aren't you gonna answer my question?" His fingers picked at a thread unraveling from Sasuke's blanket.

Sasuke watched him. "It's not that simple," he muttered.

"Yes it is," Naruto insisted. "You only think it's not that simple. So yes or no? Either you want me as a friend or you don't."

"It's not about what I want!"

Naruto dropped the thread and looked up at Sasuke, surprise clear in his bright blue eyes. _Damn it_. Sasuke pressed his fingers against his forehead. _Take a deep breath._ He seemed prone to losing his grasp on his emotions today. "You wouldn't understand."

"Then _make_ me understand."

"I can't," Sasuke whispered. He dug his fingers into the blanket, his thoughts warring with each other. A part of him was dying to tell the blond about his past; about why it was easier for him to deal with being alone. But his usual icy stubbornness reached out to suppress it. "Naruto just…" He struggled to keep his voice detached. "Just leave it."

Naruto sighed. Befriending Sasuke was a more difficult task than he thought. For every chink he made in Sasuke's wall of defenses, the other boy would repair it and double the protection. _I guess I should ask him about what happened to him and his brother…but maybe not tonight. He doesn't trust me enough yet. So for now…_ He took a deep breath. _For now…_

"Why?"

Startled, Naruto looked up. Sasuke was glaring at him. "Why what?"

"Why do you want me as a friend? Why does it matter so much to you?" he demanded. "You _have_ friends Uzumaki. You don't need me. Are you so obsessed with the idea of befriending another lonely kid that you decided to latch onto me?"

The blond shot him a fierce look. "No. That's not it at all."

Sasuke sneered. "Isn't it?" he asked, his voice filled with anger and lingering bitterness. "I'm a coldhearted bastard. You've said that before." Naruto winced. "Why bother?"

"BECAUSE!" Naruto snapped, bolting upright. He heaved a sigh and pressed the heel of his hand against his temple. When he spoke again, his voice was hushed and distant. "Because…I don't hate you either," he admitted.

Sasuke's dark eyes blinked rapidly, not even attempting to mask his shock. "What?"

"I don't hate you either," Naruto repeated. He glanced past Sasuke to the window displaying the night sky. "I know I want to get stronger. I want to prove to the people of Konoha that I'm not a loser. But…in a lot of ways, surpassing you is also my goal. I don't think I'd have as much fun if you weren't around to challenge me. Even if I didn't succeed in my goal…if I could get your attention…it'd be worth it."

Naruto turned to smile awkwardly at the dark-haired boy, his eyes squinting into half-moons. His aura carried a tinge of wistfulness. "I think I wanted you to acknowledge me more than anyone else."

Sasuke stared at Naruto, searching his face for any traces of insincerity. Finding none, he lowered his head so he couldn't look at the idiot's genuine smile any longer. He grimaced. _I shouldn't. He's either going to play me for a fool or make it hard for me to focus on my goal. But…_ He finally looked up and met Naruto's crystalline gaze. _Why do I want to believe him?_

"Hn. Don't get so mushy on me dobe."

"Hey you started it teme." Naruto protested but he was having difficulty continuing the usual banter as he gazed openly at his rival. The harsh room lights played off Sasuke's pale complexion, throwing dappled shadows over his attractive face. Quickly, Naruto pretended that the design on the blanket was far more interesting. "Look, you don't have to tell me anything about what happened to you right now. We can take it slow. I can't guarantee things will go smoothly but…" He glanced up, noting Sasuke's unreadable expression. "I'm willing to try if you are."

Sasuke glanced down at his hands, letting his bangs cover most of his face. _This is ridiculous._ It would be so much easier if Naruto hated him. There was no place in his world for sentimentalities like friendship and love. It was too dangerous. Both led to unnecessary complications and eventually pain.

And yet he could feel a part of him desperately wanted what the other boy offered. He knew…and he hated himself for it.

But was it worth it to not be alone?

He took a deep breath, wondering if he was going to regret his decision. "I'm not making any promises."

Naruto's face broke into a bright smile. That was enough progress for him. In fact, that was _more_ than enough. "Then…how 'bout we start over?" He held out his right hand. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. It's nice to meet you."

"Is this really necessary? I know who you are."

"I'd say it's necessary," Naruto replied. "After all, I _thought_ I knew who you were teme." He nudged the other boy. "C'mon. It's not gonna hurt you."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Fine," he muttered. He reached over in the darkness and took Naruto's hand. For the first time he noticed that the other teen's hand was large and square-like compared to his own. The tan palm felt callused and warm. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha. It's…nice to meet you too."

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Geez teme, don't sound too excited. Your enthusiasm is killing me."

"Oh shut up dobe," said Sasuke though the comment lacked the sting of his usual remarks. The other boy was still smiling broadly and he marveled how striking the expression looked. His smile held sunlight and warmth, and he almost had the urge to return it.

Almost. He hadn't quite lost his sanity yet.

As the two boys continued to sit in surprisingly comfortable silence, someone moved in the shadows of the doorway. Cassandra's gaze drifted down to rest on their joined hands. She smiled and quietly slipped away.

_Way to go Naruto._

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE EXAMS START NEXT WEEK?!"

Chosun winced. _Do you have to shout so loud?_ "I'm not repeating myself Uzumaki," he said carelessly. "You obviously heard me." He sighed as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of his darkly tanned face and down to disappear into his shirt collar. _I forgot how warm today was going to be._

"B-but…" Naruto stuttered. "It'll take us at least five days to get back home! We're not going to make it in time."

Sasuke nodded grimly. "He's right." He rounded on Cassandra who was rummaging around in her knapsack. "When you first suggested to Iruka-sensei that we come here, did you actually factor in the time we would have left?"

"Of course I did," said the girl with a roll of her eyes. "I didn't anticipate you and Naruto being knocked out for two extra days but that's it." She straightened up, having found a ribbon to tie back her hair. "Kankuro's arranged it for us. We're not going to walk back to Konoha."

Chosun frowned. "We're not?"

"Nope. And we're not going by caravan either."

"Why can't you just teleport us there or something?" Naruto asked her. "Don't sages have that kind of power?"

"Yes, but it's not that easy." Cassandra held up her fingers to the sky. "First, we can only transport _ourselves_ to another location, not other people. I suppose it is possible but I've never seen it attempted by a sage. Second, the distance we can travel is limited. We have to know exactly where we want to go otherwise the technique will mess up. It also takes up a lot of energy to teleport and even more the further the distance." She shrugged and finished tying on her ribbon. "If I tried to travel as far as Konoha, I'd probably be knocked out for a few days."

Temari grinned at the two warriors. "Look on the bright side. After you two stood up to Gaara, I think you stand a pretty good chance against whatever your teachers throw at you. Am I right?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked at her as if she were insane.

Temari laughed. "Don't worry guys. We'll make sure you get back to your city in time for your little test." She heard the beating of wings and looked up as a shadow fell over them. "Speaking of which, here comes your transportation now."

The four looked up. Above them, a huge dark shape descended from the sky. As it got closer, they saw it was actually a pair of young female ophan. They spread their wings wide to ease their descent.

Naruto stared. _What are they doing here? I thought ophanin never visited the world below the Sanctuary if they could help it._

The ophanin touched the ground lightly before facing the group. The one closest to them raised her wings, silver like her hair, to the sky then dropped them loosely behind her back. Her forest green haori and skirt swirled around her. "Are we late?" she asked Temari. "I know Kankuro asked Seiya for help but it took her a while to get us. Something about Tsunade-sama and paperwork."

"Nope. You guys are right on time," the blonde woman replied cheerfully. She backed away. "They're all yours. I'll be back in a few minutes." She walked into the inn behind them.

The pretty ophan faced the group, her dark green eyes gleaming intently. Then she sunk into a bow. She didn't seem to be affected by the heat or sand in the slightest. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Mabui. We,"—she gestured to the ophan standing quietly behind her—"are here to take you home."

The other woman stepped forward and bowed. "I hope it is okay with you," she said in a low voice. She was slim with waist-length black hair, large dark brown eyes, and a creamy complexion. Like Mabui, she was wearing a forest green haori over light brown trousers and didn't appear to be affected by the heat. Her ice blue wings shimmered in the bright desert sunshine.

Naruto stared at her, a dazed look on his face. The brunette was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. She was even prettier than Riaru and Sakura. "Um…uh…yeah it's fine with me," he mumbled. He dropped his gaze, blushing.

Chosun, also stricken by her beauty, nodded jerkily. He opened his mouth but no sound came out.

Sasuke's mouth thinned in exasperation. _Honestly._ He shook his head and jabbed Naruto's shoulder with his elbow. "Ow! What the hell Sasuke-teme?"

"Stop gawking usuratonkachi. You're practically drooling," the Uchiha hissed. He turned away, muttering something in obvious disgust.

Cassandra watched the exchange with amusement. _Boys._ She turned to Mabui. "How did Kankuro manage to contact you? I thought the ophanin weren't supposed to associate with humans."

"That rule applied mostly to Konoha," the woman answered her. "We've slowly gotten on speaking terms with the other cities over the years. Seiya—that's our leader's assistant—occasionally visits this place. Kankuro just asked her about it yesterday."

"And how exactly are you going to get us back to Konoha?" Sasuke asked. "In case you haven't noticed, we can't fly."

The brunette ophan gazed at him, unperturbed by the wariness in the sullen boy's voice. "Flying wasn't exactly what we had in mind. We are actually going to teleport you there."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged puzzled glances. Teleport? But what about what Cassandra said?

"We were told it wasn't possible to teleport other people," Chosun informed the ophanin. He finally recovered from his temporary stupor. "Sages can only transport themselves and it would take up too much energy to teleport to Konoha."

Mabui nodded. "That's true, but you're forgetting we're ophanin, not humans. We have certain abilities unique to us." She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, entwining her fingers. "For example, I have the ability to teleport objects anywhere I choose as long as I have the exact location in my thoughts. I believe this technique works on living organisms as well."

Hot wind and sand suddenly kicked up around her as a bright light emanated from her hands. It sparked and spun around her, crackling like lightning and striking the ground. The others, except for the brunette ophan, jumped back in alarm.

"Um…" Naruto swallowed. He glanced nervously at the others. Sasuke was glaring at the ophan. Cassandra had a hand on his shoulder as if to stop him from doing anything, but she too looked suspicious. Chosun was clutching one of his swords. "When you said you _believe_ this technique works on living organisms, have you um…you know…tried it out?"

Mabui opened her eyes. While still a vibrant green, her pupils appeared to darken. She smiled. "I've tried it out on ophanin before. There's been a few slipups in the beginning when I wasn't concentrating on the location hard enough and we ended up in the wrong area. But everything has worked fine since. I assume transporting you humans wouldn't be much different. Our genetic makeup is basically the same."

 _Yeah if you don't count the wings, the fast healing, and the super strength,_ Naruto thought. _Otherwise, we're the same._

"There's no need to be scared," said the brunette ophan. She smiled gently. "I'll make sure you're safe when we travel."

Sasuke's eye twitched. "Oh great. I feel better already."

Cassandra opened her mouth to ask the brunette how she was going to keep them safe, but at that moment Temari returned from the inn with Gaara and Kankuro in tow. She had changed into a short lavender kimono and strapped her oversized fan to her back. The blonde raised a hand in greeting. "Hey boys—and girl. All set to go?"

"Just about," Cassandra told her. Then she frowned at the bags the siblings were carrying with them. "Uh what are you guys up to?"

"Well…" Kankuro adjusted the bag he had over his shoulder. He had changed out of his usual formal Shuryo robes into a plain black shirt, black pants, and a strange hood with tiny cat ears. In spite of his attire, he seemed to be immune to the heat like the two ophan. "We decided we needed a little vacation from this place for a few days so we're heading out with you guys."

Naruto grinned brightly. "Awesome!" He clapped a hand on Gaara's back, nearly causing the other boy to fall forward under the weight of his oversized gourd. "You're gonna love Konoha! It's not as hot over there and there are a lot of trees. Oh! And we have a _huge_ academy and hot springs. We're definitely gonna make a stop there! Oh and you have to try Ichiraku Ramen. It's the best ramen shop in the wo—"

" _Anyway_ ," said Chosun, swiftly cutting through the stream of chatter. "Is this wise? I can understand why you'd want a break. The last few days have been stressful after all. But is it—" He wasn't sure how to mouth the word "safe" around Gaara without being rude.

Gaara sensed the slayer's uneasiness. "It's all right." He attempted to make his normally emotionless voice sound soothing but it came out robotic. He coughed. "I visited Lady Chiyo this morning. The seal is strong."

 _Well I guess that's taken care of._ Chosun glanced at Kankuro. "But what about your duties as a Shuryo?"

"Oh don't worry," Kankuro replied. "Baki—that's one of my advisors—is gonna look after things here while we're gone. I'd trust him with anything." He grinned. "So are we all set to go? We've said our goodbyes. We should leave before a crowd starts to gather."

Mabui glanced at the other ophan who nodded. "Just about." The sand kicked up even more around them. "Get ready."

The brunette raised one hand and held it out, palm up. This time, freezing cold wind swept through the area, causing their luggage to fall over and Cassandra's hair tie to unravel. She cursed under her breath and was just about to retrieve it when the brunette began to whisper strange words. A glowing pale blue shield descended all around the group, forming a bubble. That is, if a bubble was solid and made of ice.

No sooner had the shield surrounded them, Mabui swept her arms out in an arc. A single crack of lightning struck the shield and there was a bright flash of light. _Z-Z-zing!_

 _"Hang on to something,"_ the brunette whispered. Her brown eyes were now the same pale blue as the shield. She lifted a hand and touched the edge of the shield.

Then they were gone.

* * *

The old playground had not changed much over the years, Shikamaru Nara thought. He strolled past the tunnel. True, it had been nearly a decade since he'd spent time here. The metal bars above the swing set were rusted and the slide's red color was faded brown with age. Someone had planted a bunch of trees around a section of the playground, covering the ground with dark shadows. Yet the place retained a whimsical sense, if not tinged with nostalgia.

 _We had a lot of good times back in those days._ He settled back against the soft grass near the swings, hands behind his head. The white clouds drifted above in lazy patterns. _Back before we got shafted into the academy._ He closed his eyes. _It was easier then._

A rough voice jerked him out of his idle thoughts. "Hey Shikamaru!"

He cracked one eye open to observe his visitor. "Kiba." _Hm, guess Chouji is still at out eating._

"Not just Kiba," said the rugged brunet with a grin. Shikamaru squinted. He seemed to be tugging at a hand behind him. The hand was attached to a small pale girl with even paler eyes and long blue hair. A huge gray and white dog followed them. "I brought Hinata along. Do you mind?"

Shikamaru shook his head and hoisted himself up. _So much for my nap._ "How are you?" he asked Hinata. "Ready for your exam?"

He wasn't sure what else to say to her. They had never been close and he had no need (or desire) to wander to the cleric classrooms.

Hinata smiled shyly as if sensing the awkwardness. "I'm all right. And…um…I'll do my best on my exam." Her cheeks turned pink.

"Awww, you'll be fine Hinata," said Kiba. He draped his arm around her shoulders. "You've been practicing for a while now. If there's anyone who needs to worry, it's _me_. I don't have a clue what Asuma-sensei is planning and if it involves me having to leave Akamaru at home, I'm screwed."

Akamaru barked in agreement.

Shikamaru yawned and rubbed the back of his neck. "He probably won't plan anything too difficult for our exam. He's not Hiashi-sensei or Anko-sensei." He saw a flinch coming from Hinata at the mention of her father's name. _Oops._

Kiba shuddered. "Yeah, good thing I didn't apply as a sage. They're all really strict. I mean, not that it's a bad thing!" he added quickly at Hinata's second flinch. "You have to be strict in order to uh…handle the complex spells. Yeah!"

The girl relaxed and smiled. "I…I suppose that is true."

"Nice save," Shikamaru muttered to Kiba under his breath. The brunet grinned sheepishly.

"S-so you used to play here Kiba-kun?" Hinata asked him, hastily changing the subject.

"Oh yeah! This used to be our old hangout." Kiba took his arm off of her and pointed at a large patch of sunlit grass. "We used to play tag here. Chouji always lost until he learned that Boulder technique of his. Then we stopped playing 'cause he nearly killed us with it." Kiba nodded at the old swing set. "We spent a lot of time on those too. Naruto always tried swinging really high so he could touch the bar."

Shikamaru chuckled, remembering. "I don't think he really wanted to touch the bar. He just liked the attention and ruffling Riaru's feathers." He glanced at Hinata who was attempting to wipe traces of a blush from her face. "Uh…are you okay?"

Hinata blushed again. "O-oh I'm fine. I…um…I didn't know you and Kiba-kun were friends with Naruto-kun."

"Yeah," said Kiba. An uncomfortable look passed over his tattooed face and he reached down to pet Akamaru so Hinata couldn't see. "We still are. We just haven't had a chance to hang out like we used to." He shrugged. "Since we've been busy at the academy and all."

"But that will change won't it?" Hinata persisted. "Once you both pass your exams, you'll have more time to spend together."

"Hopefully." Kiba grinned. "If you want, you can come with—"

_CRACK!_

Suddenly a streak of white light slammed into the ground a few feet away from them and knocked them off of their feet. Hinata shrieked. Kiba crawled over to her, shielding her from whatever danger happened to fly at them. A gust kicked up, scattering dirt and grass in all directions. Shikamaru covered his eyes, squinting through them to see the source of the light.

Akamaru barked and then began to howl. "Quiet boy!" Kiba hissed, clamping his hands over the dog's jaws. Akamaru whimpered and he let go.

The crackling light vanished and the wind settled, leaving behind the remnants of a pale blue ice sphere in a miniature crater. The sphere faded and the group of people inside, except for two, collapsed on the spot.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba slowly got to his feet. He reached over to Hinata to help her up.

 _I don't remember anyone having access to this kind of magic,_ Shikamaru thought as he got up. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously as the person nearest to him, an unfamiliar blonde girl, used a giant folded fan to hoist herself to a sitting position.

"Ugh. That is not something I wanna try again right away," she muttered, brushing dirt and grass from her clothes. "Hey, can you stop glaring and give me a hand?"

Shikamaru didn't move. "Who are you?" he asked.

The young woman raised her head up to meet his. Sunlight seeped through the trees, making her blonde ponytails even lighter. The look on her face was half impatient and half amused. Though Shikamaru kept the bored neutral expression on his face, he couldn't help noticing she was absolutely gorgeous.

"You want an introduction before I'm even on my feet?" The girl laughed. "Fine. I'm Temari. _Now_ can you give me a hand? I promise I don't bite. You can ask your friends over there." She tilted her head to the pile of people behind her. "That is, if you know 'em."

Akamaru began to bark again, this time in excitement. Hinata blinked, her lily-white eyes widening in recognition at the sight of one of the unconscious people in the crater."N-Naruto-kun!"

Kiba gaped. "Naruto? Sasuke?"

Even Shikamaru was surprised. "How did this happen?"

Temari frowned. _Oh for Kami's sake._ "You can ask them when they come to. In the meantime…" She held up her hand to Shikamaru. "Be a gentleman?"

 _Oh right._ Shikamaru reached over and tugged on her hand, pulling her up and out of the small crater. Her grip was stronger than his and she briefly leaned against her oversized fan to steady herself. "Are you okay?"

"Just give me a minute," she replied, gritting her teeth. She let go of his hand and look back into the crater. "Everyone okay down there?"

Naruto coughed and hoisted himself onto his elbows. He spat out a mouthful of dirt. His loose white shirt and pale blue jeans were now badly wrinkled and stained with grass. "Kami-sama, that was a crazy experience." He glanced up at the gawking trio. "Oh hi guys. Looks like we made it to the right place."

"Right place?" Kiba repeated. He knelt beside the crater and grabbed Naruto's hand to pull him out of the crater. The blond collapsed beside Hinata who blushed and edged away. "Where were you before?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and got to his feet. A pounding ache crashed through his head and he struggled not to cringe. Unlike Naruto, his clothes were dark enough that any residual dirt smudges or grass stains barely showed

"We came from the city of Suna…not that it's any of your business," he said in response to Kiba's question. Naruto reached into the crater to grab his arm, and he allowed the blond to help him climb out. "I'm surprised you didn't notice we were gone," he added.

Kiba frowned. "Jerk."

Chosun, who was lying on his back, could only nod weakly in agreement. Grass and leaves were scattered all over him. He turned toward Kankuro who was lying face-down under the weight of his giant bag. One of his puppet's arms stuck out from the top. "Are you all right Shuryo-sama?"

Kankuro mumbled something that sounded like "Could be worse" before rolling over onto his back. "Ugh, I think I need a bath." His face was smudged with dirt and grass, messing up his face paint.

Beside the boys, Cassandra sat up. Her loose hair fell around her face in a slightly tangled mess. "G-Gaara?"

The redhead sat up gingerly. "I'm fine," he whispered. He snuck a sideways glance at his gourd. To his relief, it was undamaged.

Cassandra impatiently brushed her messy hair out of her eyes and stood up. She immediately winced. "Oooh." She moved her fingers through the air to create a tiny ball of light and pressed it against her temple.

"Yeah you're going to feel that for a bit," said a silver-haired woman, one of the only two people standing. She looked ridiculously pleased with herself. "But I got you back home safely right? That's the most important thing."

Gaara shook his head and wiped off bits of grass from his face and hair. "You couldn't arrange for a better landing Mabui?"

"That was my fault," the other standing person, the pretty brunette, confessed. "I underestimated the area." She held out her hands to form a circular ice prism. "I can rectify it now if you wish."

"No. No. It's fine," said Cassandra hurriedly. "I can do it." She clasped her hands together. _"Fuuton!"_

Swirls of wind lifted up the remaining people in the crater, including the two standing ones, and deposited them safely onto the grass beside the others. Temari hurried over to Gaara and helped him adjust his gourd after he got to his feet. Naruto and Kiba reached over to help Chosun and Kankuro up.

"So, now that _that's_ taken care of," said Shikamaru. "Mind telling us who you are and what you're doing here?" He nodded at Gaara, Kankuro, Mabui, and the other brunette. "We usually don't get that many outsiders around this time."

"There's no need to be suspicious," said Temari. "Considering you guys haven't introduced yourselves either."

Naruto shrugged. "She's got you there Shikamaru."

Shikamaru groaned as a cheeky grin appeared on the blonde girl's face. "Oooh so your name's Shikamaru. See was that hard?" She carelessly flicked her hand at her brothers. "These are my little brothers, Gaara and Kankuro."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Kankuro…as in the Shuryo of Suna?" She suddenly sank into a bow. "U-um welcome to Konoha Shuryo-sama."

Kankuro waved away her greeting. "You can just call me Kankuro okay? I'm on vacation and I don't really care much about the formal title anyway. And there's no need to bow." Akamaru began to paw at the puppet arm sticking out of his bag. "Hey! Quit that!"

The Hyuuga straightened up, blushing. "Um…all right." She dug her fingers into her pockets, resisting the urge to twiddle them together. "Um…my name is Hinata Hyuuga."

"I'm Kiba Inuzuka," said Kiba. "And the dog—here boy!—is mine." Akamaru nudged his huge head against Kiba's hip. "His name is Akamaru."

Naruto nodded at the last two women in their group. "These two are ophanin that were sent to help us," he said. "This is Mabui and—" He frowned. "Actually, what _is_ your name?"

The brunette bowed. "Oh my name is Haku. I'm sorry. I thought I introduced myself earlier."

"Because of our unique powers, he and I were chosen to help this group get here," Mabui explained to Shikamaru, Kiba, and Hinata.

Temari's jaw dropped. _Wait a second._

Chosun blanched. _No way. Did I hear that correctly?_

"Wait wait waaaaaiiiit a minute!" Naruto spun around to gawk at Haku. "Did…she just say...?"

 _"HE!?"_ Kiba yelped.

Shikamaru sighed. "So troublesome," he muttered. And to think he'd been having a relaxing nap only fifteen minutes ago.

Sasuke smirked. _Oh this ought to be good._ Cassandra pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

Haku tilted his head to the side, confused. "Um, yes I'm a boy. Couldn't you tell?"

_"NO!"_

* * *

After the guys got over the shock, the group decided to set off toward a ryokan close to the Hot Springs District. Haku and Mabui bid the others farewell before they left, citing that they needed to return to the Ophanin Sanctuary.

"Thanks for getting us home!" Naruto told them. "We'd have been stuck without you."

Mabui smiled. "It was no trouble. It was nice to see this city again. It's been so long." She winked. "Maybe we'll stop by another time if things work out."

"If things work out?" A polite frown appeared on Chosun's face. "What do you mean by that?"

The silver-haired ophan's smile turned mysterious. "Well...I can't say exactly. Tsunade-sama won't be happy with us." She and Haku exchanged a look. "But you'll figure it out if things go well next week."

Haku sent a reassuring grin to Naruto and Sasuke. "Good luck on your exam boys." He nodded at Shikamaru, Kiba, and Hinata. "And the same to you three."

The ophanin spread their beautiful wings and flew up into the sky. The group watched until all they saw was a speck among the cumulous clouds.

"It must be awfully convenient to be able to fly wherever you want," Shikamaru quipped.

On the way to the ryokan, the group stopped to point out some of the more unique structures in the city, particularly the giant Shuryo's mountain stretched along one side of the city. While Cassandra explained to the Sand Siblings how the previous leaders' faces were carved into the mountainside, Naruto filled Shikamaru, Hinata, and Kiba in on their trip to Suna. He purposefully left out the details about fighting Gaara's demonic side and the new powers he'd acquired for himself. He wasn't sure how they would react to such news.

Halfway to the ryokan, they had to stop _again_ when they ran into a squealing group of Sasuke's admirers, prompting Sasuke to vanish into an alley. Cassandra ran after him to retrieve him leaving everyone else to try to break up the annoying gaggle of girls. It finally dispersed when Temari impatiently used her fan to stir up a mini-dust storm to scare them away.

By the time they reached the ryokan and the Sand siblings had checked in, it was nearing late afternoon. The sun had slipped below the clouds, transforming the blue sky into a mix of orange and pale lavender. Other citizens began to materialize on the streets in stray clumps.

"Well that took longer than it should have," Shikamaru muttered as the group trudged wearily out of the ryokan.

"I'll say," Kankuro agreed.

"It wouldn't have if Sasuke-teme's fan club hadn't shown up," said Naruto bluntly.

Sasuke's already sour expression darkened. "I didn't ask for crazy girls to follow me wherever I go," he grumbled.

Temari laughed. "You don't have to. With a face like yours, they'd follow you with or without permission. And that's not even getting to your body." She poked the Uchiha's shoulder. He flinched and moved away from her. "Oh come on. Don't be such a killjoy Sasuke- _kun._ Have a little fun."

"You're talking to the wrong person," Kiba piped up. "I don't think Sasuke knows the meaning of the word."

Akamaru barked in agreement and moved to nuzzle against his master's side.

Sasuke grunted. "Hn. If we're finished here…" He started walking off toward the bustling main street. "I'm going home."

"We are?" Cassandra asked him. She looked uncertain. "I thought we could go to the onsen for a bit to unwind before dinner. And the onsen's _that_ way." She pointed toward the back of the ryokan. "I know we still have luggage but we can ask the inn to hold it until we get back."

Sasuke turned around, the look in his dark eyes unreadable. " _I'm_ going home," he repeated to her. " _You_ can do whatever you want, but I'm going home to eat and get as much rest as possible. Unlike you, I have an exam to prepare for and I shouldn't be wasting time."

And he disappeared into the crowd.

Kiba frowned. "Sheesh what's eating him?" he muttered. "One day off isn't gonna kill us."

Hinata twiddled her fingers together nervously. "From what you told us Naruto-kun, you did have an exhausting trip. Sasuke-san's probably tired. O-or maybe he has a lot on his mind."

Naruto tried to laugh, his eyes darting quickly to Cassandra. Emotions flickered across her face, but she shook her head at him in warning. "Yeah. You may be right." He pasted a bright smile on his face, fighting the impulse to break away from the group and run after his sullen rival. The boundaries of their tentative friendship were still fragile after all. "So uh…who's up for some hot springs?"

Gaara glanced at the direction where Sasuke had departed. A pensive frown crossed his face. "We're not going to go after him?" he asked.

"No." said Cassandra in a firm voice. "There's no need. I can't sense him anywhere so he's already gone. Besides…" She hefted her bag over her shoulder, her eyes darting to the ground so the others couldn't see her face. Her fingers fumbled with the strap. "I think he wants to be alone."

"He does have a point though," said Chosun. "While one day off isn't going to kill you, it might be better to get as much rest as possible. Your exam date is only a few days away." He gazed toward the onsen and sighed. "Although…after the desert and that landing, I wouldn't mind soaking in hot water."

Temari shrugged. "If you're sure." She spun on her heel and loosened the ties holding her four ponytails together. "So are you going to show us this so-called onsen or what?"

* * *

As the lazy afternoon gave way to cool evening, vendors began lighting their lamps and the air was suddenly filled with laughter and the scent of food. The sky darkened to a deep steady blue as a half-moon rose over the horizon.

Nobody paid attention to the impossibly pale dark-haired man leaning against the side of the Ameguriama sweets shop. He folded his arms and watched a trio of laughing teenagers race into the shop. Groups of people entered and left with their arms full of sweets. _Humans and their cravings are so strange._

An image of his brother popped into his head, his face twisted into a scowl. _"Pot calling the kettle black much Orochimaru?"_

_Guilty brother._

For the most part, he had kept his promise to Jin to observe the humans at a non-threatening distance. However, he occasionally sought out a few humans to speak to about Naruto Uzumaki. So long as he wasn't _doing_ anything with them, he figured Jin wouldn't mind. He wasn't _actually_ breaking the rules. 

There wasn't much to bring back. He learned that Naruto Uzumaki was a student at the Konoha Academy and his guardian, Iruka Umino, was a teacher. But Naruto Uzumaki wasn't even in the city and no one knew when he would return. The rest of the students were far too busy being worried about their silly lives or upcoming exams to bother.

 _I suppose he will be back very soon._ The man eased his body languidly away from the wall. Laughter and snatches of conversation followed him as he strolled down the street. _After all, I doubt the council would do something as stupid as allow him out of their sight for long._

_Thump._

Someone bumped into his side and he heard a low voice whisper, "Sorry."

Orochimaru turned around to see a dark-haired young man in his late teens standing there, frowning at the ground. "That's all right. I wasn't paying attention." He smiled. "In a bit of a hurry aren't you?"

The boy looked up, his lips still curled in a tight frown. The street lamps flickered, casting light shadows along his pale face and dark clothing. Raven hair and obsidian eyes glittered in the light.

"Whether I am is none of your business," he said, his voice cold and tinged with condescension.

Orochimaru's snakelike yellow eyes gleamed. _Well._ The young man was quite good-looking for a human. Maybe not as beautiful as some of his fellow yokai but there was something rather appealing about him all the same. He raked his eyes over the boy's lean form and elegant features. Strike that, _very_ appealing.

The boy continued speaking, heedless of the yokai's blatant ogling. "So if you've accepted my apology, I'll be—"

"Sasuke-kuuuuun!" called a high-pitched voice from a cluster of young girls still near the Ameguriama. "Is that you?"

"Sasuke-kuuuuun!" Another voice rang out. "Come hang out with us!"

The boy stiffened and his eyes grew wide with alarm. Orochimaru wanted to laugh even as the name resonated in his mind. _Sasuke huh?_ He liked the sound of the name; liked the way it tasted on the tip of his tongue.

"Friends of yours?" he asked teasingly.

Sasuke glared at him. "Don't be ridiculous," he muttered. "I'm not that desperate."

"Sasuke-san!"

 _This_ voice was new and it seemed to come from somewhere up above. Both Sasuke and Orochimaru looked up just in time to see an ophan with snow white wings land in front of them. She straightened and hunched the wings behind her back. While some people ignored her, others stopped their conversations just to stare.

She appeared to be a little older than Sasuke but much smaller and delicate. Her emerald green hair fell down past her waist and floated around her body in soft waves. Large sapphire irises stared intently at the dark-haired boy.

Orochimaru's smile faded as recognition took over. His breath caught in his throat. _It can't be…_

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He too seemed surprised but refused to let it show. "Riaru," he said, confirming that the ophan was who Orochimaru thought she was. "What do you want?"

Riaru hesitated before she squared her shoulders in determination. "I'm sorry to bother you. I'm glad you returned home safely." She sent an apologetic glance at Orochimaru. "Please excuse me sir."

Orochimaru studied the girl, his dark brows furrowed. Then he smiled at her but the smile didn't quite reach his cold yellow eyes. _She certainly has grown._ Who knew that helpless little baby would blossom into such a lovely creature. The girl shifted nervously under his intense stare. _Still pathetic though._ "It's quite all right. Ignore me."

"What do you want?" Sasuke repeated as if the man was not even there. He folded his arms over his chest impatiently.

Riaru turned away from Orochimaru. Her blue eyes swept furtively over the eavesdroppers around them before she whispered, "Did Naruto come back with you?"

The boy flinched at the sound of the name and his handsome face reflected his unease. Riaru tilted her head in confusion. "O-obviously. We couldn't leave the idiot behind."

Orochimaru's ears pricked up at that. _So this Sasuke knows Naruto._ He narrowed his eyes. _Interesting._

"Is that all you wanted to know?" Sasuke lifted his chin in bored superiority. "You don't need to worry about him. I'm sure he'll return to your house." He sighed. "When he's done goofing off," he added under his breath.

"Oh! I see." Riaru bowed quickly. "In that case, thank you very much." She spread her white wings and flapped them twice, pushing her feet against the ground to propel her body up. Then she rose up into the air, her wings stretched to catch the rolling wind. "It really is good to see you Sasuke-san," she said with an awkward smile.

"Hn." The boy shrugged one shoulder and moved past Orochimaru, disappearing into the night.

Riaru sighed and flew away in the opposite direction. The eavesdroppers went back to their conversations and others continued on their way. But Orochimaru remained in the middle of the street, his mind processing what he just heard. His mouth morphed into an extremely malicious smile.

Well this trip wouldn't be such a waste after all.

**To Be Continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explanations (behind some names, phrases, and other stuff):
> 
> Furoshiki: traditional Japanese wrapping cloth made of silk, cotton, or nylon. It's used to wrap gifts, clothes, or bentos.
> 
> Ryokan: a traditional Japanese-style inn found mostly at hot spring resorts (onsens). They can range from being similar to large hotels or small inns (same with expenses), and reflect the traditional Japanese lifestyle.


End file.
